U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)
BEFORE his appointment, RFK, Jr. was a renowned conspiracy theorist and vaccine critic. Having overcome a multi-year heroin addiction when he was younger, he spent his early career as an environmental lawyer. He is neither a scientist, nor a doctor, nor a health expert. He has never led a large organization of any kind. Every senator knew these things before they voted on his appointment.
Kennedy’s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services was opposed by Eighty-seven (87) health, public interest, and advocacy organizations, by 77 Nobel laureates, and over 17,000 physicians.
Kennedy’s own family members urged Senators not to confirm him, in particular Caroline Kennedy (JFK’s daughter) who described him as a “predator” and a “hypocrite” in a disturbing testimonial video.
He was one of the so-called “Disinformation Dozen” banned from Facebook and Instagram for spreading false and misleading information about vaccines.
His anti-vaccine influence is likely implicated in measles outbreaks in Samoa and the United States, which resulted in 83 and 3 deaths to date, respectively.
In short, the record before the Senate pointed overwhelmingly toward disqualifying him from serving as Secretary of HHS. But 52 senators still voted “YES.” Those 52 feared the wrath of the president and MAGA voters more than they feared the wrath of the rest of us. Now we are stuck with the risks and public health effects of their bad decisions.
Testimony during RFK, Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearings predicted his attacks on vaccine access
During the hearings (January 2025):
“The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has … made it his life's work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines. … Mr. Kennedy, if you are confirmed, your recommendations determine which vaccines seniors get for free through Medicare. Your recommendations will determine which vaccines are given to millions of children.” – Sen. Ron Wyden, (link)
After the Senate confirmed him:
June 2025: HHS Secretary, RFK removes all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). (link)
June-September 2025: RFK appoints vaccine skeptics to the panel in their place, over the objections of numerous public health organizations. (link1)(link2)
August 2025: RFK announces procedural limits on access to the COVID vaccine, again over the objections of most public health organizations. (link)
September 2025:
ACIP votes against recommending the updated COVID vaccine for people older than 6 months of age, again over the objections of public health organizations. (link)
ACIP recommends against administering the combined the MMRV vaccine, the childhood shot that covers measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox), in favor of administering the chickenpox vaccine seperately. Again, this decision was made over the objections of most public health organizations (link) (link)
December 2025: ACIP recommends no longer giving newborns the Hepatitis B vaccine, again over the objections of most public health organizations. (link)
Testimony during RFK, Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearings predicted his recent attacks on vaccine research
During the hearings (January 2025):
Question: “The annual budget of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases advances critical research; examples include the successful development of new vaccines against RSV, an FDA-approved drug that delays the onset of Type 1 Diabetes, an mRNA vaccine against HIV, and more. Please explain why you plan to stop this work and who it will benefit?”
Response: “If confirmed, I look forward to evaluating all agencies and programs to ensure that they are accomplishing the mission of making Americans healthy again.” (link)
After the Senate confirmed him:
August 2025:HHS cancelled funding for over $500 million in research into mRNA and other vaccines and their development, over the objections of most public health professionals. (link)
Testimony during RFK Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearing predicted his recent remarks attacking measles vaccines
During the hearings (January 2025):
“We have dramatically reduced diseases in my state like Hep A and B and meningitis. We are just now getting through a tough bout of whooping cough that came around to the state. Now there is a scare in the peninsula in Alaska about a measles outbreak. So we cannot be going backward with our vaccinations.” – Sen. Lisa Murkowski (link)
After the Senate confirmed him:
A measles outbreak that began in the southwestern United States late in 2024 has now exploded to affect nearly every state, infecting more than 1700 people and causing 3 deaths. This follows 25 years in which the disease was considered eradicated in the United States.
April 2025:
Kennedy told “Dr. Phil” that “HHS continues to recommend that vaccine. But there are problems with the vaccine.” This position contradicts overwhelming public health consensus.
RFK tweeted casting doubt that the death of a Texas child from measles was caused by measles, though longstanding scientific consensus recognizes that measles can result in serious health outcomes including death. (link)
Testimony during RFK, Jr.’s Senate confirmation hearing predicted his reliance on junk science and fringe theories
During the hearings (January 2025):
“[RFK, Jr.’s] actions reveal a steadfast commitment to elevating junk science and fringe conspiracies.”
– Sen. Ron Wyden
“[Y]ou're trafficking in these fringe idea and discredited theories that are completely out of step with a scientific consensus.” – Sen. Tina Smith (link)
After the Senate confirmed him:
May 2025:
HHS’ “MAHA Commission” released a strikingly shoddy report claiming to have identified “poor diet, accumulation of environmental toxins, insufficient physical activity, chronic stress, and overmedicalization” as the “key drivers behind the childhood chronic disease crisis.” (link)
Experts note that the report featured nonexistent studies and “garbled science.” (link)
September 2025:
The MAHA Commission issued an equally flawed supplement to the May children’s health report. (link) Again, most experts panned it. (link)
The conservative CATO Institute published a detailed critique of the MAHA Commission Report, entitled “Promises, Contradictions and Weak Science in the MAHA Children’s Health Report. (link)
“It truly is life and death at HHS. The gravity, it hits you. And it’s nonstop.”
– Xavier Becerra, Former Secretary of HHS
The Secretary of HHS is a Cabinet-level position and thus helps set health policy for the nation in line with the President’s priorities. This role oversees 13 major agencies and is accountable for everything from vaccine policy to food safety to pandemic readiness and much, much more.
The major agencies overseen by the Secretary of HHS are:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Decisions by the Secretary of HHS impact every aspect of health, including:
Access to vaccines for children and adults
What diseases are researched using federal dollars
Whether medicines and medical devices are safe and effective
Whether food is safe
Access to reliable public health information
