President-elect Donald Trump is anticipated to appoint anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to steer the Division of Well being and Human Providers, placing him answerable for a large company that oversees every part from drug, vaccine and meals security to medical analysis and the social security internet applications Medicare and Medicaid.
The anticipated appointment, which was confirmed by two individuals acquainted with their discussions who spoke on situation of anonymity, has not been formally introduced by Trump or his transition workforce, which means there’s at all times an opportunity Trump may change his thoughts.
Kennedy, a former Democrat who ran as an unbiased on this 12 months’s presidential race, deserted his bid after putting a deal to offer Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a job in well being coverage within the administration.
He and Trump have since change into good pals, with Kennedy regularly receiving loud applause at Trump’s rallies.
The anticipated appointment was first reported by Politico Thursday.
A longtime vaccine skeptic, Kennedy is an lawyer who has constructed a loyal following over a number of a long time of people that admire his lawsuits in opposition to main pesticide and pharmaceutical firms. He has pushed for tighter laws across the components in meals.
With the Trump marketing campaign, he labored to shore up assist amongst younger moms particularly, along with his message of creating meals more healthy within the U.S., promising to mannequin laws imposed in Europe. In a nod to Trump’s authentic marketing campaign slogan, he named the hassle “Make America Healthy Again.”
It stays unclear how that may sq. with Trump’s historical past of deregulation of massive industries, together with meals. Trump pushed for fewer inspections of the meat business, for instance.
Kennedy’s stance on vaccines has additionally made him a controversial determine amongst Democrats and a few Republicans, elevating query about his capacity to get confirmed, even in a GOP-controlled Senate. Kennedy has espoused misinformation across the security of vaccines, together with pushing a very discredited principle that childhood vaccines trigger autism.
He additionally has mentioned he would advocate eradicating fluoride from consuming water. The addition of the fabric has been cited as resulting in improved dental well being.
HHS has greater than 80,000 staff throughout the nation. It homes the Meals and Drug Administration, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the Medicare and Medicaid applications and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.
Kennedy’s anti-vaccine nonprofit group, Youngsters’s Well being Protection, at present has a lawsuit pending in opposition to numerous information organizations, amongst them The Related Press, accusing them of violating antitrust legal guidelines by taking motion to determine misinformation, together with about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines. Kennedy took depart from the group when he introduced his run for president however is listed as considered one of its attorneys within the lawsuit.
