The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has abruptly terminated several multi-million-dollar federal grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a major medical association. The move follows public criticism by the AAP of policies implemented by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Sudden Withdrawal of Vital Funding
The funding cuts, first reported by the Washington Post, were enacted without prior notice to the AAP. They affect at least seven grants supporting critical child health initiatives across the United States. The terminated projects focused on a range of priorities, including the early identification of autism, prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, reducing sudden infant death, and improving rural healthcare access, mental health, and adolescent health services.
AAP CEO Mark Del Monte confirmed the terminations in a statement, warning of direct harm to families. "The sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth, and their families in communities across the United States," Del Monte said. The AAP is now exploring all options, including potential legal action, in response.
Clash Over Language and Vaccine Policy
According to administration officials cited by the Washington Post, HHS terminated the grants partly because the AAP's materials used what the department characterised as "identity-based language." This included references to racial disparities and the use of the term "pregnant people." A termination letter from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated the grant materials were "not aligned with current CDC and HHS priorities."
The dispute has deeper roots in a fundamental policy clash over vaccines. Earlier this year, Kennedy announced that the Covid-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunisations for healthy children and pregnant women, a significant break from established medical guidance. In response, the AAP issued its own conflicting recommendations.
"We won’t lend our name or our expertise to a system that is being politicised at the expense of children’s health," said AAP president Susan J Kressly in June. Kennedy later questioned on social media whether the AAP's recommendations served public health or were a "pay-to-play scheme" for pharmaceutical companies.
Broader Consequences and Legal Challenge
The AAP, alongside other major medical groups, has since filed a lawsuit challenging Kennedy's vaccine policy changes. In a supporting legal brief, the group Defend Public Health argued the decision creates uncertainty, disproportionately affects at-risk populations like pregnant women and children, and could burden hospitals through reduced vaccination coverage.
An HHS spokesperson, Andrew Nixon, told the Washington Post the grants were ended because they "no longer align with departmental priorities." The Guardian's request for further comment from HHS was not immediately returned. The situation highlights an escalating conflict between federal health leadership and established medical bodies, with crucial child health programmes caught in the crossfire.
