Oct 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention will reschedule a vaccine panel meeting that was

planned for later this month, according to the health agency's

website.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting was

previously scheduled for October 22 and 23. The CDC has not

indicated when a future meeting will take place.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time

anti-vaccine activist, fired all 17 members of the committee of

outside vaccine experts earlier this year and replaced them with

his own hand-picked nominees.

The agenda for the meeting is not yet clear, but acting CDC

head Jim O'Neill earlier this week called for the combined

measles-mumps-rubella vaccine to be broken up into three

separate shots, in line with President Donald Trump's views.

That drew a quick rebuke from vaccine maker Merck ( MRK ),

which said there is no scientific evidence that shows any

benefit to doing so, and from other public health experts.

Trump has also said children should not get the hepatitis B

vaccine before the age of 12. It is normally given in the first

24 hours after birth.