Public health experts, scientists warn senators against confirming RFK Jr

A new coalition of more than 700 public health professionals, scientists and activists has signed an open letter opposing the Senate confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, saying his “fringe” views and inexperience would put the country at grave risk. infectious disease

The coalition’s letter, called “Defend Public Health,” said Kennedy’s “unsubstantiated, fringe beliefs could significantly undermine public health practices across the country and around the world.”

Signatories include faculty members from schools of public health at prestigious universities such as Harvard, Yale and Emory.

The letter expressed concern about Kennedy’s lack of expertise in health care and his inexperience in running a bureaucratic agency as vast as the Department of Health and Human Services. It also noted its long history of questioning vaccinations.

“It’s inconceivable that President Trump … would now nominate someone who is decidedly anti-vaccine and, if confirmed, could reverse the progress we’ve made not only in saving lives from COVID-19, but also in reducing life-threatening infections. Polio, Diseases including tetanus, measles, mumps, seasonal flu and more,” the letter said.

Kennedy claims he is not anti-vaccine and is only pushing for more transparency on their safety.

This latest anti-Kennedy push comes on top of a separate letter last week from more than 15,000 doctors, organized by the Democratic-affiliated Committee to Protect Health Care, urging senators not to confirm him.

Kennedy has been meeting on Capitol Hill in recent weeks with dozens of senators who will consider his nomination. Although Kennedy has no strong popular opposition from Senate Republicans, he could lose three votes if every Democrat opposed him.

Unlike other Republicans, Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) did not immediately endorse Kennedy after his meeting and only issued a bitter statement on social media.

Cassidy told reporters briefly that he and Kennedy talked about “every vaccine change” but declined to elaborate after the nearly hour-long meeting.