Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified before the Senate Health Committee, revealing political interference in vaccine recommendation processes by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Her removal followed refusal to rubber-stamp vaccine guidelines lacking scientific evidence, including those for childhood COVID-19 and hepatitis B vaccines. Parallel controversies surrounding CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) threaten the established evidence-based federal vaccine policy framework, leading some states to enact independent COVID vaccine policies. These upheavals raise concerns about vaccine access, public trust, and potential increases in vaccine hesitancy amid shifting regulatory landscapes.