Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of health and human services, appointed eight new members of an expert panel that advises the federal government on immunization policy, including several vocal vaccine critics and one who identifies as an “anti-vaxxer.

Even so, Kennedy’s decision to fire all of the panel’s members and replace them is unprecedented. The HHS secretary wields broad authority to manage the panel as he sees fit under federal law.

Three of the health secretary’s picks to replace fired members of an influential panel that sets U.S. vaccine policies have filed statements in court flagging concerns about vaccines.