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 increase transparency, scientific rigor, and diverse clinical expertise in shaping national immunization policy. Secretary Kennedy reconstituted ACIP in June 2025 with the aim of restoring public trust in vaccines.
The newly appointed members are Sean G. Downing, M.D., an internal medicine and pediatrics specialist based in Florida, and Angelina Farella, M.D., a pediatrician who owns A Brighter Tomorrow Family Health and Wellness in Webster, Texas.
Dr. Downing has over twenty years of experience providing primary care for both adults and children. He practices concierge care in Sarasota, Florida, holds admission privileges at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and has worked with uninsured patients in Nashua, New Hampshire as well as in emergency care settings. His medical training includes a combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residency at Brown University and an M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Farella also brings more than two decades of experience to the committee. She has led her own pediatric practice since 2004 and has held various clinical roles including urgent care work and academic appointments at institutions such as UTMB and William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Farella completed her pediatric residency at UTMB where she served as Chief Resident.
"ACIP must scrutinize the evidence openly, ask hard questions, and earn the nation's confidence through transparent deliberation," Secretary Kennedy 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."
"Public health works best when the science is rigorous and the process is transparent," said CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD. "These appointments strengthen ACIP with experienced clinicians who understand how immunization guidance matters for patients and families."
ACIP provides recommendations to the CDC Director and HHS Secretary on how immunizations should be used to control vaccine-preventable diseases among civilians in the United States.
The CDC plays a key role by quickly identifying diseases—whether they originate domestically or internationally—and responding to outbreaks or illnesses that can impact national security or economic stability by sharing timely information with communities across the country while supporting local health initiatives.
