A CDC official has stepped down from her advisory role on the COVID-19 vaccine committee, according to two individuals familiar with the matter.
Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos, a pediatric infectious disease expert, resigned on Tuesday as co-leader of a CDC working group that provides guidance on COVID-19 vaccines and is also leaving the agency. In an email to her colleagues, she explained that her decision was driven by the feeling that she could no longer effectively support the most vulnerable populations in the U.S.
In her position with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) working group, she helped oversee the collection and presentation of vaccine-related information.
Her resignation comes shortly after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his skepticism about vaccines, announced the removal of the COVID vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule. Kennedy leads the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, FDA, and NIH.
This action diverged from the typical procedure, where ACIP experts review and vote on immunization schedule updates before the agency’s director finalizes decisions. The committee had not voted on this recent change, and the CDC currently lacks a permanent director.
An HHS spokesperson described Panagiotakopoulos’ departure as a personal choice that does not affect the government’s commitment to public health.
The advisory committee is expected to convene June 25-27 to discuss and vote on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, according to one of the sources.
At the last ACIP meeting in mid-April, Panagiotakopoulos presented data on Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and discussed potential vaccination strategies for 2025-26. Options included maintaining current broad recommendations or narrowing vaccine use to certain groups.
The working group had been leaning toward a more targeted approach but was expected to recommend broader vaccine use for specific high-risk populations, such as very young children and pregnant women vulnerable to severe COVID-19.
A strong, inclusive recommendation for these groups would encourage healthcare providers and insurers to prioritize vaccination and coverage for these populations.
Despite recent unexpected changes to the immunization schedule, the working group continues to meet and prepare recommendations for the full ACIP panel’s upcoming session.
