New CDC vaccine advisor Retsef Levi says ‘It’s time for science, not ideology’
Professor Levi talks about mRNA safety concerns, media backlash, and reshaping vaccine policy
In the hours after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping overhaul of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, I sat down with one of the incoming appointees—MIT professor Retsef Levi.
Levi has extensive experience working with clinicians and analysing healthcare data, including in drug safety, signal detection, and biologics manufacturing. He specialises in data-driven tools for risk assessment and risk–benefit decision-making.
Now joining the CDC’s new advisory panel, Levi says he’s energised by the chance to help reshape vaccine oversight at the highest level.
In this interview, he addresses the backlash from critics, outlines his concerns about mRNA technology, and explains why much of the evidence supporting current vaccine recommendations may not stand up to rigorous scrutiny.
