Attorney General Tong Sues to Block RFK Jr. Vaccine Overhaul

Press Releases

02/24/2026

Attorney General Tong Sues to Block RFK Jr. Vaccine Overhaul

RFK Jr. and CDC bypassed federal law, ignored scientific evidence, and endangered children by gutting recommended childhood vaccines

(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong today joined 15 states announcing a lawsuit to block the Trump Administration's radical overhaul of the nation's childhood immunization schedule. The complaint to be filed today names Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Jay Bhattacharya, and the CDC and HHS as defendants.

The lawsuit challenges a January 5, 2026 CDC "Decision Memo" that stripped seven childhood vaccines—those protecting against rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—of their universally recommended status. The complaint also challenges the unlawful replacement of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the expert federal panel that has guided U.S. vaccine policy for decades.

“Vaccines save lives. Trump and RFK Jr. are risking children’s lives. RFK Jr. is not a doctor. He is not a scientist. His friends are not any more knowledgeable or qualified. MAHA memes are not a reliable or safe source of medical information. We are suing today to protect lives, and to make sure that our nation’s powerful public health guidance follows the law and reflects the facts,” said Attorney General Tong.

“For generations, these vaccinations have successfully limited the spread of contagious diseases, diminished their impacts, and kept the public safe and healthy. There is no legitimate medical rationale for changing this. Modifying this national guidance will just create more confusion and anxiety among parents. It will also place more burdens on doctors and medical professionals, and at worst it will endanger the health of children. Medical decisions need to be determined by science, not conspiracy theories. Here in Connecticut, we will continue to support our medical community and support their recommendations when it comes to protecting public health,” said Governor Ned Lamont.

“Public health decisions must be grounded in credible science, established process, and the rule of law – not ideology. Connecticut’s childhood immunization schedule has not changed, and all vaccines remain available. Families should know that the evidence supporting the vaccines long recommended to protect children is sound and supported by multiple medical societies. We will continue to rely on rigorous scientific evidence and trusted medical expertise to guide our policies and protect the health of our residents. Our commitment is, and always will be, to follow the data and do what is in the best interest of Connecticut’s children and communities,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani.

Among children born in the U.S. between 1994 and 2023, researchers have estimated that routine childhood vaccinations prevented approximately 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and over 1.1 million deaths, generating $2.7 trillion in societal savings. This remarkable achievement has been made possible in large part by leading medical scholars and public health experts who have served on ACIP and established the science-based childhood vaccination schedule that federal agencies, states, and parents have confidently relied on for decades.
In June 2025, Secretary Kennedy abruptly fired all seventeen ACIP voting members and replaced them with individuals who lack the scientific qualifications required by ACIP's own charter and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). At least nine of the thirteen current ACIP members lack the expertise or professional qualifications required for the role, and a majority have publicly expressed views aligned with Secretary Kennedy's well-documented opposition to vaccines.

In December 2025, the reconstituted ACIP reversed nearly thirty years of CDC policy by eliminating the recommendation for a universal hepatitis B birth dose—a vaccine that is up to 90 percent effective in preventing perinatal infection when administered within 24 hours of birth.

Shortly thereafter, the CDC expanded its ideological attack on routine childhood vaccines. On January 5, 2026, then-Acting CDC Director Jim O'Neill—who has no medical or scientific background—signed off on a “Decision Memo” that demoted seven vaccines from the universally recommended childhood vaccination schedule to a lesser status that invites confusion and uncertainty.

The Decision Memo was not based on any new scientific evidence, any recommendation by a lawfully constituted ACIP, or any systematic review of the available data. Instead, it relied primarily on superficial comparisons to purported "peer countries"—particularly Denmark—while ignoring the fundamental differences between those nations and the United States, as well as the overwhelming evidence supporting the effectiveness of the CDC’s pre-Kennedy childhood immunization schedule.

Additionally, in contrast to countries like Denmark with universal healthcare, more than 100 million Americans lack usual access to primary care, meaning the instruction to "discuss with your clinician" operates as a barrier, not neutral guidance.

Lower vaccination rates will in turn lead directly to higher rates of infectious disease. For Connecticut and other states, this means a greater strain on their Medicaid programs, more money spent combatting misinformation, and wasted resources decoupling state laws, regulations, and public guidance from ACIP’s and CDC’s now-untrustworthy recommendations.

Contrary to Secretary Kennedy’s misinformation and insinuation, vaccines previously recommended on the CDC’s pre-Kennedy childhood immunization schedule remain safe and effective, and they are critical for protecting America’s children and public health at large.

The plaintiff states are asking the court to declare the Kennedy Schedule and the Kennedy ACIP appointments unlawful, and to enjoin, vacate, and set aside both the new immunization schedule and the unlawful appointments.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and California Attorney General Rob Bonta are co-leading this lawsuit. They are joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and the Governor of Pennsylvania.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

Facebook: CT Attorney General

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

Consumer Inquiries:

860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov