Earlier in the week, Kennedy dismissed all members of the committee, and stated that he would appoint a new council with his personal choices. Kennedy was, before he was appointed minister, one of the United States' most prominent vaccine skeptics.
Kulldorff is one of eight people who Kennedy has now named to take a place in the council. The New York Times describes it as he is one of the names that is expected to receive criticism from groups that are advocates of vaccines.
He has previously given advice to the CDC on vaccine safety and been critical of vaccine requirements. He has also been involved in writing a document that opposed lockdowns. The document was criticized by, among others, Anthony Fauci, the White House's special adviser during the coronavirus pandemic, for being dangerous.
Kulldorff was born in Lund and grew up in Umeå. He has studied at Umeå University and worked at Uppsala University. He had for several years a professorship at the American top university Harvard, but was fired from there in the spring of 2024. According to an interview in Folkbladet last autumn, it was due to his attitude towards lockdowns and vaccine requirements.
The eight appointed people in the council replace about half of the 17 who were dismissed earlier in the week.
