Facts Matter – The Epoch Times
Episode: "RFK Jr.’s Panel Recommends Delaying First Vaccine; Trump Orders Vaccine Review; State Flip-Flopping on Religious Exemptions"
Date: December 12, 2025

Episode Overview

In this edition of Facts Matter, host Roman from The Epoch Times provides a comprehensive update on major recent shifts in U.S. vaccine policy, focusing on the recommendations from RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisory panel, Trump’s executive order to align U.S. vaccine schedules with other developed nations, ongoing battles over religious exemptions at the state level, and a controversial incident involving vaccine administration without parental consent. The episode concludes with a brief note on changes to the portrait of Rachel Levine at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Major Reforms by the CDC’s Vaccine Panel (ACIP)

• Background on ACIP:

  • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is the CDC’s primary vaccine expert panel, responsible for studying vaccine effects and making childhood schedule recommendations.
  • RFK Jr., newly appointed as HHS Secretary, dismissed all 17 prior members of ACIP to install his own panel aligned with his vision.
    • “[ACIP] are the ones responsible for studying vaccine effects, including side effects… almost always, whatever this committee decides on ultimately gets implemented by the CDC as a whole.” (03:10)

• Delay of the First Childhood Vaccine (Hepatitis B):

  • On December 5, the new ACIP recommended delaying the first Hepatitis B shot, traditionally given to newborns within 24 hours, unless the mother tests positive for the virus. (04:02)
  • Rationale for Delay:
    1. Low risk for most babies: ~99.5% of U.S. babies are born to mothers without Hep B, which is mainly transmitted via sex or drug use.
    2. Antibody waning: Immunity from early vaccination may decline before the child is at risk; “the level of antibodies… drops over time and has been detected to be at low levels at older ages…” (07:05, Cynthia Nevison, CDC contractor)
    3. Data Quality Concerns: Clinical trials for Hepatitis B vaccines lacked control groups and long-term follow-up.
       • “We would never approve a vaccine based on data like those today.” (09:15, Dr. Tracy Beth Haig, FDA acting director)
       • “As a father and as a scientist, I don't know how we have the courage based on such slim evidence to come to parents and tell them that it's okay to give your zero day baby…” (10:11, Dr. Retsev Levi, MIT professor and ACIP member)
  • CDC’s position: recognizes waning antibodies but maintains that “immune memory remains intact for more than 30 years following immunization.” (07:58)
  • Opposition to the change: Critics (including former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky) warn this could increase Hepatitis B cases nationwide with “lifelong detrimental consequences and no measurable health benefit.” (12:30)
  • Current status: 8 panel members for the change, 3 against. If adopted, newborns of Hep B negative mothers will not receive the shot by default, with individualized decision-making or later vaccination as an option.

• Other Panel Actions Under RFK Jr.:

  • Rescinded universal COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for children.
  • Endorsed standalone chickenpox vaccine (separated from MMR).
  • ACIP to review safety of aluminum and other vaccine ingredients in the coming months.

2. Trump’s Executive Order: Aligning with Other Developed Nations

• Details of Executive Memo (13:20):
  • Signed December 5, Trump’s memo instructs HHS and CDC to review vaccine best practices in peer nations (e.g., Denmark, Japan, Germany) and, if superior, to revise the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule accordingly.
    • “When he started his second term… the US recommended immunizing children against 18 diseases… Denmark 10, Japan 14, Germany 15…”
    • “Should the HHS and CDC determine that those practices… are better… they will need to update the US Core childhood vaccine schedule…”
• Anticipated changes: Further reductions or adjustments to routine vaccination schedule may be imminent.

3. State-Level Battles: Religious Exemptions in West Virginia

• Legal Background:
  • WV law has historically allowed only medical exemptions to its comprehensive school vaccine requirements.
  • 2023’s Equal Protection of Religion Act set up legal justification for religious exemptions, but state Board of Education resisted.
• Recent Developments:
  • New governor’s executive order mandated religious exemptions, overruling Board of Education.
  • Circuit Judge Michael Froebel’s ruling: denying all exemption requests “substantially burdened plaintiffs’ religious exercise by forcing them to choose between vaccination and public education.” (13:50)
    • “Those constitute a small fraction of the statewide student population and would not meaningfully reduce vaccination rates or increase health risks.”
  • WV Supreme Court put a stay on that order, so as of now, religious exemptions are again disallowed until further ruling.

4. Parental Consent Incident under HHS Investigation

• RFK Jr.’s Statement (14:30):
  • Investigation launched by HHS into a school in the Midwest allegedly administering a federally funded vaccine to a child without parental consent—even though a legal state exemption was held.
    • “A parent’s right to guide their child’s health decisions… is not optional. It’s non-negotiable, and under the Trump administration, it will not be ignored.” (14:38, RFK Jr.)
    • “When any institution… disregards a religious exemption, it doesn’t just break trust, it also breaks the law.” (15:00)
  • Details (school, state, vaccine) remain undisclosed; investigation ongoing.

5. HHS Alteration of Rachel Levine’s Portrait

• Change in official record:
  • HHS replaced Rachel Levine’s name with her birth name, “Richard Levine,” on her portrait in their office, reflecting a new administration approach.
  • Official Statement:
    • “Our priority is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally… reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health.”
• Political/Cultural Undercurrents: The move signals a reassertion of a ‘biological reality’ narrative under HHS.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dismissing ACIP "If RFK Jr didn't dismiss everybody, his agenda and his vision for the CDC would literally not be able to get implemented at all." (02:41)
• On Weak Evidence for Hepatitis B Vaccine in Newborns:
  • “We would never approve a vaccine based on data like those today… we have a very low level of confidence in saying that the benefits outweigh the risks with the amount of data that we have.” (09:09–09:27, Dr. Tracy Beth Haig)
  • “As a father and as a scientist, I don't know how we have the courage based on such slim evidence to come to parents and tell them that it's okay to give your zero day baby…” (10:11, Dr. Retsev Levi)
• On Parental Rights in Health Decisions:
  • “A parent’s right to guide their child’s health decisions… is not optional. It’s non-negotiable, and under the Trump administration, it will not be ignored.” (14:38, RFK Jr.)
• On State-Level Legal Fight:
  • “[Denying all requests] substantially burdened plaintiffs’ religious exercise by forcing them to choose between vaccination and public education.” (13:50, Judge Michael Froebel)
• On Rachel Levine Portrait:
  • “We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health.” (16:22, HHS Spokesperson)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro and background: 00:00–02:30
• ACIP panel and Hepatitis B vaccine decision: 02:30–11:00
• Minority/dissenting views and new recommendations: 11:01–13:19
• Other vaccine schedule changes & upcoming reviews: 13:20–13:35
• Trump’s executive memo and international alignment: 13:36–14:15
• West Virginia religious exemptions legal rollercoaster: 14:16–14:30
• RFK Jr., HHS and Midwest vaccine incident: 14:31–15:13
• Rachel Levine portrait change and HHS statement: 15:14–16:30

Tone and Style

• Host Roman maintains a neutral, factual tone, emphasizing repeatedly that he’s presenting official government statements and reports (“no opinion on anything”).
• The language is accessible and journalistic, but with clear concern for transparency and parental rights.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of Facts Matter offers a deep dive into recent and dramatic changes to U.S. vaccine policy at the federal and state level. With RFK Jr.’s sweeping changes to CDC advisory panels, a rollback of early infant Hepatitis B vaccination, efforts to match U.S. immunization standards with those of peer nations, legal struggles around religious exemptions, and muscular defense of parental rights, listeners are brought up to speed on a rapidly shifting landscape defined by a new skepticism and emphasis on individual risk-benefit analysis and medical freedom. The tension between public health orthodoxy and a new ‘parental choice’ paradigm is a recurrent theme throughout.

For listeners wanting more, detailed sources are available in the episode’s show notes.