was filed in January in federal court in Washington, accuses the American Academy of Pediatrics of racketeering for its  central role in an enterprise that has defrauded American families about the safety of the childhood vaccine schedule for several decades.  In the lawsuit, Shaw is described as a mother  whose children died following routine vaccinations administered according to AAP guidelines. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics has asked the court to dismiss the suit, asserting in an April court filing that it is the  latest missive in a campaign targeting  the academy and its  use of science-backed evidence in vaccine policy. 

In January, pediatricians and other experts became alarmed when U.S. health officials made broad changes to childhood vaccine guidance, dropping several universal recommendations. Kennedy, who helped lead the anti-vaccine movement for years, said the changes better align the U.S. with peer nations  while strengthening transparency and informed consent. 

In March, a federal judge blocked the changes and said Kennedy likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee. But the judge's order is not the final word; the blocks are temporary, pending either a trial or a decision for summary judgment.

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Kelety reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writer Laura Ungar in Louisville contributed.