The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced the appointment of two new members to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This move is part of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s ongoing efforts to ensure transparency, scientific rigor, and a range of clinical expertise in shaping national immunization policies. In June 2025, Secretary Kennedy restructured ACIP with the aim of rebuilding public trust in vaccines.
The newly appointed members are Dr. Sean G. Downing and Dr. Angelina Farella.
Dr. Downing is an internal medicine and pediatrics physician licensed in Florida. He has over twenty years of experience providing primary care for patients of all ages, including work in Sarasota, Florida, where he holds admission privileges at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. His background also includes serving uninsured patients in Nashua, New Hampshire, as well as working part-time in emergency and urgent care settings. Dr. Downing completed his residency at Brown University after earning his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Farella is a pediatrician based in Webster, Texas, where she owns A Brighter Tomorrow Family Health and Wellness. She has practiced pediatric care for more than two decades and has led her own practice since 2004. Her career includes roles in private practice, urgent care, and locum tenens positions. Dr. Farella completed her pediatric residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), served as Pediatric Chief Resident there, and held academic appointments at UTMB and William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Secretary Kennedy commented on the appointments: “ACIP must scrutinize the evidence openly, ask hard questions, and earn the nation’s confidence through transparent deliberation,” he said. “Dr. Downing and Dr. Farella bring decades of real-world experience caring for children, adults, and families—and that frontline perspective is essential to making recommendations that are grounded in gold-standard science and worthy of public trust.”
CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya added: “Public health works best when the science is rigorous and the process is transparent,” he said. “These appointments strengthen ACIP with experienced clinicians who understand how immunization guidance matters for patients and families.”
ACIP provides recommendations to both the CDC Director and HHS Secretary regarding immunizations used to control vaccine-preventable diseases among civilians in the United States.
The CDC plays a central role in protecting public health by providing timely information about disease prevention and response efforts across communities nationwide.
