The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice will have five additional members when it convenes Thursday in Atlanta. The advisory group – now numbering 12 members – makes recommendations that help determine which vaccines are offered free through the Vaccines for Children program, and what health insurers typically cover. NPR reached out to each of the new members of the committee earlier this month, when their names first appeared in media reports. The members Kennedy fired had been chosen for their medical expertise and understanding of vaccine policy, and had been formally vetted to ensure that they would not directly financially benefit from any ACIP votes. RFK Jr. replaced everyone on the CDC’s vaccine panel.