Kennedy Jr. became the country's top health official, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already pulled back some of its efforts to protect Americans with safe, life-saving vaccines. The agency has indefinitely postponed a public meeting of its vaccine advisory committee and killed a campaign promoting seasonal flu shots.

Health and Human Services officials said the postponement was to accommodate public comment ahead of the meeting but experts decried the delay.

A week after he was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is already eyeing the removal of federal advisers on vaccine approvals and other crucial public health decisions,