Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. saw few friendly faces as he was pummeled with mostly hostile questions for three hours during a hearing at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Sept. 4. Virtually every Democrat on the committee ended their allotted five minutes by asking RFK to resign, and several Republicans insisted on support for public health measures that include vigorous use of vaccines. However, it became clear that RFK’s idea for public health measures is not that of conquering disease with science and providing modern hospitals in every community, but is one of merely relying on consumers to make better personal choices, lifestyle changes, and avoiding food coloring. Agencies under RFK’s command are in turmoil and undergoing a mass exodus of skilled staff. On Sept. 3, an open letter was published, signed by more than 1,000 current and former HHS employees, demanding that RFK resign.
Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), both medical doctors, were the two Republicans most supportive of vaccines at the hearing. Barrasso used the example of General George Washington during the American Revolution, who demanded that his entire army take a smallpox vaccination. Barrasso said that vaccines have saved 154 million lives around the world, and blamed RFK for creating confusion among Americans about the safety of vaccines for their children. Vaccines for polio, measles, and other diseases that have been used routinely for decades around the world are now being questioned. He said that 81% of Trump supporters want medical information to come from doctors, not from political appointees. Barrasso said that RFK needs to regain the trust of the American people, and that the only way to do so is to be fully transparent.
