MIT Professor Named to Lead CDC COVID-19 Working Group
Appointment follows HHS Secretary Kennedy's panel restructuring
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has appointed Retsef Levi, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of operations management, to lead the agency's COVID-19 working group. The CDC confirmed this appointment on Monday, according to reporting from The Hill. Levi, who previously expressed concerns about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, was among eight new appointments to a CDC advisory group on immunization practices earlier this year.
The appointments followed significant changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s leadership. Earlier this year, Secretary Kennedy removed all previous members of the CDC's immunization practices advisory panel. This restructuring represents a shift in personnel overseeing vaccine recommendations at the federal health agency.
KEY POINTS
- •MIT professor to lead CDC COVID group
- •Follows Kennedy's advisory panel changes
- •Task force on childhood vaccines restored
In early 2023, prior to his appointment, Levi had publicly recommended halting the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. He stated on social media that evidence suggested these vaccines could cause serious harm, particularly among younger populations. His previous statements and research background at MIT's Sloan School of Management inform his approach to the working group leadership role.
Separately, HHS recently announced the reestablishment of the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines. This federal panel, originally created by Congress, aims to improve safety, quality, and oversight of vaccines administered to American children. National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya characterized the task force reinstatement as reaffirming a commitment to scientific rigor and continuous improvement in vaccine development and administration.