📢 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be a disaster for public health
RFK Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by President-elect Trump has sparked widespread condemnation from public health experts and policy makers.
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Public Health at Risk Under RFK Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by President-elect Trump has sparked widespread condemnation from public health experts, policymakers, and advocacy groups. Kennedy’s track record of vaccine skepticism and promotion of misinformation, coupled with his lack of qualifications, make him uniquely unfit for this critical role. His appointment would endanger public health, undermine scientific expertise, and erode trust in federal health agencies.
Kennedy’s most glaring disqualification is his long history of spreading misinformation about vaccines. He is a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, promoting debunked claims that vaccines cause autism. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence proving the safety and efficacy of vaccines, Kennedy continues to propagate falsehoods. For instance, he has claimed that vaccines might kill more people than they save, contradicting extensive research that shows vaccines have saved 154 million lives globally over the past five decades. His inability or refusal to accept rigorous scientific evidence underscores a dangerous disregard for the scientific process that forms the foundation of modern medicine.
In my opinion, Kennedy’s appointment poses a direct threat to public health. As Secretary of HHS, he would oversee agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These institutions rely on public trust to implement life-saving measures such as vaccination programs. Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism could unravel the social contract underlying public health initiatives, making vaccination a matter of personal choice rather than a community obligation. This erosion of collective responsibility risks outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, jeopardizing the health and safety of millions of Americans.
Kennedy’s lack of relevant qualifications further exacerbates concerns about his fitness for the role. HHS is a sprawling bureaucracy with over 80,000 employees and a budget exceeding $1.75 trillion. It manages critical programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Title X Family Planning Program. Effective leadership requires a deep understanding of public health, health policy, and administration—areas in which Kennedy has no expertise. His nomination risks mismanagement of these vital programs, potentially harming the most vulnerable populations who rely on them.
Public health leaders and policymakers have expressed near-universal opposition to Kennedy’s nomination. Former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala described him as “unqualified and dangerous.” Advocacy groups warn that his appointment could set back global vaccination efforts and undermine trust in public health infrastructure. As Richard Besser, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, stated, Kennedy’s views could dismantle the notion of shared societal responsibility, putting lives at risk.
In conclusion, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is profoundly unqualified to lead HHS. His disregard for scientific evidence, promotion of misinformation, and lack of expertise would endanger public health, erode trust in federal agencies, and compromise essential healthcare programs. The Senate must reject his nomination to protect the health and well-being of all Americans.
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Works Used
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/15/rfk-jr-kennedy-nomination-hhs-trump/
https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-condemns-trumps-nomination-of-robert-f-kennedy-jr-for-secretary-of-health-and-human-services/
https://www.salon.com/2024/11/14/totally-unqualified-congress-reacts-to-rfk-jr-nomination/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/health/kennedy-hhs-nobel-laureates.html
Additional Resources from Protect Our Care
New York Times: Kennedy’s Lawyer Has Asked the F.D.A. to Revoke Approval of the Polio Vaccine The lawyer helping Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pick federal health officials for the incoming Trump administration has petitioned the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine, which for decades has protected millions of people from a virus that can cause paralysis or death. That campaign is just one front in the war that the lawyer, Aaron Siri, is waging against vaccines of all kinds. Mr. Siri has also filed a petition seeking to pause the distribution of 13 other vaccines; challenged, and in some cases quashed, Covid vaccine mandates around the country; sued federal agencies for the disclosure of records related to vaccine approvals; and subjected prominent vaccine scientists to grueling videotaped depositions.
Reuters: Trump to discuss ending childhood vaccination programs with RFK Jr. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in an interview published on Thursday said he will be talking to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services, about ending childhood vaccination programs. When asked if he would sign off if Kennedy decided to end childhood vaccinations programs, Trump told Time magazine, "we're going to have a big discussion. The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible. If you look at things that are happening, there's something causing it." When asked if the discussion could result in his administration getting rid of some vaccinations, Trump said: "It could if I think it's dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don't think it's going to be very controversial in the end."
Axios: RFK Jr.'s secret push to prove CIA killed uncle Robert F. Kennedy Jr. believes the CIA had a role in assassinating his uncle, President John F. Kennedy — part of RFK Jr.'s motivation for pushing his daughter-in-law, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, for deputy CIA director, Axios has learned. Why it matters: President-elect Trump feels indebted to RFK Jr., his pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, for his help in the election, and is eager to please him. But there's real drama behind the scenes about whether Fox Kennedy is the right choice for the CIA's No. 2 job.
The Bulwark: RFK Wants Psychedelics—Free From ‘Corporate Control’ For decades, the federal government’s stance on psychedelic drugs has been that they are a threat to public health and safety, on par with that of hardcore substances. Despite showing no addictive properties, LSD and psilocybin (mushrooms) are classified as schedule I drugs, which places them on a level with meth and heroin and above drugs like cocaine and fentanyl. But since last December, when President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that authorizes researchers to study psychedelics in treating PTSD and other brain disorders for active-duty servicemembers, the government’s stance has started to change. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.), who authored the bill, told me he’s awaiting new guidance from the Department of Defense. “That’s gonna take time,” he added. There have also been broader attempts to decriminalize psychedelic drugs for recreational use at different levels of government. The results of these changes have been panned by law enforcement, and in some cases, state laws decriminalizing drugs have been overturned. Still, advocates of decriminalization have a potentially valuable ally in health and human services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Reuters: Amazon, Pfizer execs seek common ground with RFK Jr on climate risks to health Executives from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), opens new tab and Amazon.com (AMZN.O), opens new tab see opportunities for working with U.S. health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr to manage growing health risks in a warming world. President-elect Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax and promised to again remove the U.S. from international climate cooperation. Kennedy, an environmental lawyer tapped to oversee the nation's drugs regulator, public health and biomedical research agencies, takes a different view.
The Atlantic: Wellness Goes to Washington
Wired: RFK Plans to Take on Big Pharma. It’s Easier Said Than Done
Notus: How Far Can Granola Conservatives Get in a Lunchables GOP?
RFK Jr.’s Record
Boston Globe: RFK Jr.’s unusual fund-raising was a windfall for an obscure Massachusetts group Amid a floundering independent run for president this summer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., quietly inked a fund-raising agreement that allowed him to ask supporters for bigger donations. The deal was lucrative — but not just for Kennedy’s campaign. It also ended up being a boon for some of his political opponents and even an obscure Massachusetts political group. The agreement, called a joint fund-raising committee, was set up with the Libertarian National Committee, to bolster the Kennedy campaign. But Kennedy was never on the Libertarian ticket; he ran a rival independent campaign. In fact, after he dropped out of the race, most of the money went into supporting Donald Trump.
Public Opinion
Associated Press: Poll shows what Americans think about Hegseth, Gabbard and RFK Jr. Cabinet nominations
As several of President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for high-level positions in his incoming administration face scrutiny on Capitol Hill, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Americans have their own doubts. Relatively few Americans overall approve of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense, or Tulsi Gabbard, his pick for intelligence chief, although a substantial share doesn’t know who those figures are. The other selections who were included in the poll, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary and Marco Rubio for secretary of state, are more well-known but not much more popular among Americans overall.
Confirmation
The Hill: Conservative group pressuring nine GOP senators to support Trump picks Heritage Action, the advocacy arm of the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, is working to pressure GOP senators from nine states to support President-elect Trump’s Cabinet picks. The group is launching a $150,000 digital ad campaign that will run from Wednesday to Dec. 31. Ads will run in Alaska, Maine, Louisiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Utah, South Dakota and the District of Columbia.
I certainly agree that this would be a disaster. I'm 82 and in my childhood the only vaccine was for smallpox. Measles, both 14-day and 3-day, whooping cough, diptheria, chicken pox, polio--these were lifesaving vaccines that were available after I had all those diseases, including polio. (Polio is caused by the polio virus, and spreads like any other virus--very easily.) I was lucky--I survived and I was not crippled. Others were. Don't let anyone tell you that vaccines are not necessary. And today we have flu, RSV, and other vaccines I don't even know about. Lifesaving vaccines that save lives.