Robert Kennedy Jr.: ‘Don’t Take Medical Advice From Me,’ Says US Health Secretary

In his first congressional hearing since being confirmed, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. avoided sharing his personal beliefs and defended significant budget cuts to health institutes. Kennedy, who has openly opposed vaccinations for years, was asked to comment on Donald Trump’s proposed budget, which includes massive cuts to scientific services within the Department of Health. Democratic Congressman Mark Pocan questioned whether Kennedy would vaccinate his own children against measles, given the recent outbreak surpassing 1,000 cases in the U.S., with two deaths attributed to unvaccinated children. Kennedy responded ambiguously: “For measles? Probably for measles. But what I’m saying is that my views on vaccines don’t matter… People shouldn’t take medical advice from me.” During his confirmation hearing, Senator Brian Schatz highlighted Kennedy’s role in discouraging vaccination adoption in Samoa in 2019. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, criticized Kennedy’s stance, stating it undermines his responsibility as the nation’s chief health strategist. Trump’s budget proposal suggests the largest cuts ever to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reducing funding from $48 billion to $27 billion. Many NIH institutes could collapse, with programs focusing on minority health and international research entirely eliminated. Committee members noted that clinical trials and critical programs like the lead poisoning prevention program have already shut down due to lack of funding. Kennedy claims these cuts won’t affect institute operations but hasn’t provided details on how this will be achieved.