Gavi works to expand access to vaccines for children in some of the world’s poorest countries. Health experts say the move could have deadly consequences.

Kennedy called on Gavi “to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion America has provided in funding since 2001,” saying officials must “consider the best science available, even when that science contradicts established paradigms.” Kennedy said until that happens, the U.S. won’t contribute further to Gavi.

Gavi is a public-private partnership including WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank. It has paid for more than 1 billion children to be vaccinated through routine immunisation programmes,