A coalition of over 17,000 docs despatched a joint letter to the Senate, asking members to vote in opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to be secretary of well being and human companies below Donald Trump.
The Committee to Defend Well being Care mentioned in its letter that Kennedy is “not only unqualified to lead this essential agency—he is actively dangerous.” The group describes Trump’s resolution to appoint him as “an affront to the principles of public health, the tireless dedication of medical professionals, and the trust that millions of Americans place in the health care system.”
Chief among the many group’s issues about Kennedy are his years selling conspiracy theories about vaccines and his activism in opposition to vaccination. The letter describes Kennedy’s help for these unscientific notions as “direct threat to the safety of our patients and the public at large.”
Vaccination has traditionally been a particularly efficient approach to safeguard public well being. Vaccination for HPV (human papillomavirus) prevents most circumstances of cervical most cancers, whereas polio has almost been eradicated after the deployment of a vaccine.
Regardless of these and lots of different successes, the group of docs famous that in a 2022 speech, Kennedy in contrast vaccination insurance policies to the actions of Nazi Germany. Additionally they highlighted the work of Kennedy’s nonprofit, Youngsters’s Well being Protection, in combating in opposition to vaccination.
In its letter, the group additionally identified Kennedy’s 2019 journey to Samoa, throughout which he advocated in opposition to vaccines. The journey was adopted by a significant outbreak of measles there that killed greater than 80 individuals (largely infants and younger youngsters).
Public opinion polling has proven mistrust for Kennedy due to his anti-science advocacy. In a Dec. 6-9 ballot from Axios/Ipsos, solely 30% of Individuals mentioned they belief Kennedy on health-related subjects, rating him 2 proportion factors decrease than Trump in the identical survey.
Medical consultants have mentioned that if the Division of Well being and Human Providers follows Kennedy and deemphasizes help for vaccination and medical analysis, it may result in a resurgence of key ailments and infections. Circumstances of measles and whooping cough, together with meningitis and polio, may explode below such insurance policies.
Associated story: RFK Jr. faces recent scrutiny over alleged ties to lethal measles outbreak
When Trump was final in workplace, he misinformed and misled the general public in regards to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic. He argued that heat climate would result in the virus dissipating and complained about masking to forestall the unfold. In the end, greater than 396,000 Individuals died from COVID-19 whereas he was in energy.
A profitable nomination of Kennedy and the implementation of his anti-science concepts may make issues a lot worse.
