FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations
Statement from APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD
APHA expressed concerns about Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as the choice for secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and in the few short weeks that he has been in this position, those concerns have been realized. The recent implementation of massive reductions in staff at key health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration, among others, along with acknowledgement since that many of these people shouldn’t have been fired, is the latest example of poor and thoughtless management that will only undermine the work of our nation’s top public health agencies to keep us all healthy.
During his nomination hearing, he promised that if shown the data regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines, he would be “the first person to reassure the American people that they need to take those vaccines.” And yet during the hearing, he was confronted with multiple studies and responded with a small and unsupported study that reinforced his position as a vaccine skeptic.
His implicit and explicit bias and complete disregard for science has been in evidence since he was sworn in as Secretary. He has:
- Reduced staff at the relevant federal agencies and promoted a nonsensical reorganization of HHS that will weaken our nation’s ability to meaningfully address any health problem.
- Forced the leading FDA vaccine official, Dr. Peter Marks, to leave the agency where he led the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and was instrumental in starting up Operation Warp Speed in the first Trump administration.
- Even after the confirmed deaths of two unvaccinated children from measles, Kennedy still refuses to strongly encourage vaccination, which is 97% effective at prevention of the disease.
- Promoted unscientific therapies such as vitamin A to treat measles, which has resulted in significant liver injury from its use among some children in Texas.
- Drastically reduced the nation’s capacity to respond to public health threats including the current measles epidemic, by precipitously cutting funding from state and local public health by clawing back $11 billion (about $34 per person in the US) in approved funding.
- Hired a known anti-vaxxer to lead a study to undermine proven science related to the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, which is 97% effective and has a long history of safety.
- Stopped research at NIH that was focused on preventing future epidemics.
- Mocked the sitting governor of West Virginia to go on a diet with public weigh-ins.
- Announced plans to tell CDC to stop recommending fluoridation in community’s water.
Dr. Marks wrote in his resignation letter “It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”
Americans deserve better than someone who is trying to impose his unscientific and judgmental view of public health and science. We deserve better than RFK, Jr. He demonstrated his incompetence in only a few weeks.
As a physician, I pledged to first do no harm and to speak up when I see harm being done by others. I ask my colleagues to join me and speak up. Secretary Robert Kennedy is a danger to the public’s health and should resign or be fired.
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The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. With our broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, we influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.