Health advocates mount opposition to RFK Jr health job pick
An expanding coalition of health and consumer advocates is campaigning against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to the top U.S. health job over concerns about his activism against vaccines and other health issues, according to the groups’ representatives.
Obamacare advocate Protect Our Care, influential consumer group Public Citizen and Community Catalyst, which fights for equality in healthcare, are part of a coalition of at least 40 organizations targeting a group of Republican U.S. senators to help block Kennedy’s confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The Committee to Protect Health Care, a grassroots physician organization, has also amassed nearly 16,000 signatures from physicians who oppose Kennedy’s nomination.
The efforts come as Kennedy heads to Capitol Hill to win support following his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump including by meeting with incoming Senate health committee chairman Republican Bill Cassidy, a Cassidy staff member confirmed.
“We’re going to work to block his nomination. And I think we will succeed,” said Peter Maybarduk, access to medicines director of Public Citizen, a consumer group founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, which has worked for causes including drug safety and airbags in cars. “Even if RFK Jr. can’t amass the power to take down vaccine funding, elevating his falsehoods to some kind of officialdom is a danger all its own.”
Kennedy has long sown doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that have helped curb disease and prevent deaths for decades. He disputes the anti-vaccine label and has said he would not prevent Americans from getting inoculations, but is a founder of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense and in a 2023 interview with Lex Fridman said no vaccines are safe and effective.
Kennedy has said he wants to work to end chronic disease, break any ties between employees at the U.S. drugs regulator and industry, and advise U.S. water systems to remove fluoride. Trump has said he will discuss the U.S. childhood vaccination program with Kennedy, and on Monday said all vaccines should be looked at.
Kennedy’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. His advocates have said opposition to his nomination stems from corporate interests.
