By AMANDA SEITZ, Related Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Invoice Cassidy needed an assurance from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier than he would vote to place him in control of the nation’s $1.7 trillion well being division.
Kennedy’s historical past of selling conspiracy theories or misspeaking about vaccines alarmed Cassidy, he mentioned throughout a affirmation listening to earlier this yr.
So, the Louisiana senator requested: “Can I trust that that is now in the past?”
Kennedy didn’t give a direct reply that day. Now three months into the job, nonetheless, Kennedy’s behavior of casting doubts on vaccines has returned in interviews on tv exhibits, public speeches and social media posts.
Kennedy will make his first look as well being secretary earlier than Cassidy’s highly effective Senate well being committee on Wednesday, when he’s anticipated to face intense scrutiny in regards to the 1000’s of job he’s eradicated on the Division of Well being and Human Companies, the steep cuts he’s made to vaccination campaigns and his response to a measles outbreak that’s sickened 1,000 individuals.
He’ll communicate in regards to the company’s funds request for the yr, which features a $500 million increase for his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative to advertise vitamin and more healthy existence. The proposed funds additionally makes deep cuts, together with to infectious illness prevention, maternal well being and preschool packages.
The secretary plans to “share his vision on how HHS’ transformation will improve health outcomes, eliminate redundancies to save the American taxpayer, and streamline operations to improve efficiency and service,” HHS mentioned in an announcement to The Related Press.
Kennedy’s supporters, in the meantime, have considered his first three months within the job as a profitable supply of “MAHA” agenda gadgets: He’s pressured meals firms to ditch synthetic dyes, promised to review the reason for autism, vowed to reverse fluoride suggestions and earned buy-in from a number of Republican governors to ban soda from the meals stamp program, for instance.
However many eyes and ears will probably be on Kennedy’s dialogue with Cassidy, who extracted quite a few ensures from Kennedy about his strategy to vaccines. These included guarantees to maintain the present childhood vaccination schedule, use the present vaccine monitoring system and never take away statements that say vaccines don’t trigger autism on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention web site.
“I will watch carefully for any effort to wrongfully sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidences and anecdote,” Cassidy mentioned earlier this yr, after voting in favor of Kennedy’s nomination.
Kennedy has since delivered a blended message on vaccines that public well being consultants have mentioned are hampering efforts to comprise the measles outbreak. He’s supplied endorsements of vaccinations however continued to boost questions on their efficacy or security. He’s mentioned the childhood vaccine schedule will probably be examined in a examine of autism’s causes. He’s referred to as the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — a shot given to kids to offer immunity from all three illnesses — “leaky,” though it gives lifetime safety from the measles for most individuals. He’s additionally mentioned they trigger deaths, though none has been documented amongst wholesome individuals.
On the company, too, he’s made strikes that help the anti-vaccine motion. He employed a person who has printed analysis that implies vaccines trigger developmental delays to supervise a examine on autism. And he’s terminated some analysis and public well being funds devoted to vaccines.
Kennedy, who has rejected the anti-vaccine label, has often mentioned that he’s “pro-safety” and needs extra analysis on vaccines, though many years of real-world use and analysis have concluded they safely stop lethal illnesses in kids.
“His longstanding advocacy has always focused on ensuring that vaccines, and other medical interventions, meet the highest standards of safety and are supported by gold-standard science,” HHS mentioned in an announcement. “As he did during confirmation, Secretary Kennedy is prepared to address questions surrounding this topic.”
Initially Printed:
