Controversial Calvary Chapel Pastor Named To RFK’s Vaccine Advisory Panel

Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist and pastor at Calvary Chapel South Maui, has been named to a federal advisory panel on vaccine policy by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Milhoan, who promoted unapproved drugs such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19, will serve on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This panel provides recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine use.

Milhoan’s use of discredited treatments during the pandemic drew widespread condemnation from Hawaiian officials. Former Gov. David Ige and former Health Director Libby Char criticized his actions, which included not requiring masks or social distancing at Calvary Church of South Maui during the height of the pandemic. Milhoan and Dr. Lorrin Pang, the state’s top medical adviser for Maui County, co-founded The Pono Coalition for Informed Consent, a website that called the Covid vaccines experimental and promoted unproven drugs.

The Hawaiʻi Medical Board filed a complaint against Milhoan and Pang in August 2021, which could have led to the loss of their medical licenses. However, the state Regulated Industries Complaints Office dropped the complaint eight months later without disciplinary action. Milhoan has also participated in a 2024 hearing hosted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, where he advocated against vaccinating children, citing alleged cardiac issues in pediatric patients.

Kennedy’s decision to appoint Milhoan follows the firing of all 17 sitting members of the ACIP panel in June, as part of an effort to restore public trust in vaccination. Some of the new appointees, including Milhoan and Robert Malone, have been criticized for their anti-vaccine views. Malone has been vocal in his criticism of Covid mRNA vaccines, blaming two deaths of unvaccinated children in a Texas measles outbreak on “medical mismanagement” without citing evidence.

Milhoan and his wife operate For Hearts and Souls, a nonprofit Christian medical ministry that provides medical care. The ministry’s work has been intertwined with Milhoan’s public advocacy, blending his roles as a physician and a pastor. His inclusion on the ACIP panel has raised questions about the intersection of faith and public health policy.

The situation highlights the complex relationship between religious beliefs, medical practice, and public health. As the advisory panel navigates contentious issues, the role of faith-based leaders in shaping health policy remains a point of debate. The story of Milhoan and others like him reflects the broader tension between scientific consensus and personal conviction. Micah 6:8 reminds us that justice, mercy, and humble service are central to living out faith in the world.

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