News 2026

17th February 2026

Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Secretary of Health and Human Services

Born into arguably the most prominent US Democrat family, RFK Jr was appointed into his current office by the Republican Donald Trump, following the Presidential election in 2024.   RFK Jr had been an independent Presidential candidate, but dropped out and endorsed Trump.  During that time, Trump recognised a fellow vaccine sceptic and that might be one of the reasons for his appointment. 

RFK Jr is an environmental lawyer by training, and has had a chequered lifestyle, well documented by Wikipedia.  He has been very active in his current post, taking some actions which confirm his vaccine hesitancy (which goes back to 2001) and which worry me. 

Here are some examples raising concerns

  1. Sacking of 8 members and appointment of prominent vaccine sceptics to the important decision making committee (the vaccine advisory committee of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 1
  2. Response to measles outbreak in Texas in 2025, where initial reluctance to promote MMR vaccine (RFK Jr initially suggested Vitamin A) changed on the ground after 5 deaths to support MMR, a partial U turn2
  3. Initial concerns from the President and RFK Jr regarding a possible link from use of paracetamol in pregnancy to autism and ADHD3.4, subsequently debunked5
  4. Cuts of $500m  in the budget to support mRNA vaccine research (mainly for Covid  and Flu vaccines)6, affecting at least 19 projects
  5. Plans to block publication of scientific research in reputable journals like the Lancet and the NEJM7
  6. Reducing the number of routine vaccinations  in the US from 11 to 7 jabs8, including routine covid vaccination

Conclusions

Mr Kennedy has been an entrenched opponent of vaccination for many years.  His experience in environmental law, for example when he was successful  lawyer in the case against Dupont  who were polluting West Virginia from a zinc plant, may well have led to excessive distrust of large pharmaceutical companies.

Vaccine policies from the US will have a big impact on other countries9 – “they are global standard bearers for public health policy” 10. 

In the longer term, cuts in research funding will affect the US, and have worldwide consequences.

References

  1. RFK Jr names eight new members of vaccine committee after mass firing | The BMJ
  2. Health secretary RFK Jr. endorses the MMR vaccine — stoking fury among his supporters : Shots – Health News : NPR
  3. https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1664.full.pdf
  4. https://www.aucd.org/uploads/Exclusive%20_%20RFK%20Jr.,%20HHS%20to%20Link%20Autism%20to%20Tylenol%20Use%20in%20Pregnancy%20and%20Folate%20Deficiencies%20-%20WSJ.pdf
  5. Paracetamol (Tylenol): No clear link between use in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children, rapid review finds | The BMJ
  6. US government slams mRNA vaccine research | Nature Biotechnology
  7. https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1664.full.pd RFK Jr threatens to stop US scientists from publishing in major medical journals
  8. RFK Jr. Slashes Number of Recommended Vaccines | MedPage Today7th February 2026
  9. RFK Jr. guts the US childhood vaccine schedule despite its decades-long safety record | The Transmission | University of Nebraska Medical Center
  10. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol405no10473/PIIS0140-6736(25)X0002-7

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