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 providers underneath Donald Trump.
The Committee to Defend Well being Care mentioned in its letter that Kennedy is “not solely unqualified to steer this important company—he’s actively harmful.” The group describes Trump’s resolution to appoint him as “an affront to the rules of public well being, the tireless dedication of medical professionals, and the belief that tens of millions of People place within the well being care system.”
Chief among the many group’s considerations 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 risk to the protection of our sufferers and the general public at massive.”
Vaccination has traditionally been an especially efficient option to safeguard public well being. Vaccination for HPV (human papillomavirus) prevents most instances of cervical most cancers, whereas polio has practically been eradicated after the deployment of a vaccine.
Regardless of these and plenty 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, Kids’s Well being Protection, in preventing 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 serious outbreak of measles there that killed greater than 80 folks (principally infants and younger kids).
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 People mentioned they belief Kennedy on health-related subjects, rating him 2 share factors decrease than Trump in the identical survey.
Medical specialists have mentioned that if the Division of Well being and Human Companies follows Kennedy and deemphasizes help for vaccination and medical analysis, it might result in a resurgence of key ailments and infections. Instances of measles and whooping cough, together with meningitis and polio, might explode underneath 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. Finally, greater than 396,000 People died from COVID-19 whereas he was in energy.
A profitable nomination of Kennedy and the implementation of his anti-science concepts might make issues a lot worse.
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