Agencies Under RFK Jr. Stir Vaccine Skepticism, Prompting Health Concerns
Concerns about public health have surfaced as two agencies led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. adopt a skeptical stance on vaccines, a move experts fear may lead to increased illness and mortality.
Since becoming Secretary of Health and Human Services on February 13, Kennedy has continued to champion anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, including the debunked notion that vaccines are linked to autism and other neurological disorders. For more background on Kennedy’s views, visit this article.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees 11 agencies, notably the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These agencies play crucial roles in public health monitoring and medical research funding, respectively.
On March 7, the CDC announced a major study to explore potential links between vaccines and autism in children. This decision comes despite extensive research refuting any such connection, with most experts attributing rising autism diagnoses to improved detection and screening rather than an actual increase in cases. For more details on the CDC’s plans, see the full announcement here.
Shortly after, the Washington Post disclosed that the NIH would reduce funding for research aimed at understanding vaccine hesitancy and boosting vaccination rates. Read more about this development here.
These changes occur amid a measles outbreak in New Mexico and Texas, creating a health emergency in the southwestern U.S. This outbreak highlights the consequences of inadequate vaccination, as measles can lead to severe complications like lung fluid accumulation and brain swelling.
In a March 2 op-ed, Kennedy emphasized the need to end the measles outbreak, urging parents to vaccinate their children while also asserting that vaccination remains a “personal choice.” He controversially suggested that vitamin A could treat measles. His full op-ed is available here, and further critique of his claims can be found here.
A 2024 Kaiser Family Foundation study revealed that less than 93% of kindergarteners had received all state-required vaccines, falling short of the 95% threshold needed to curb community transmission of preventable diseases. Explore the study in detail here.
In 2024, there were 16 measles outbreaks, a significant increase from four in 2023.
Kennedy’s influence extends beyond childhood vaccines. Recently, he canceled a meeting to discuss the composition of next year’s flu shot and threatened to cut funding for a bird flu vaccine. For more on Kennedy’s vaccine policies, visit this article.
An HHS representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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