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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A co-chair of Donald Trump’s transition team has indicated that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent supporter of Trump and known for his anti-vaccine stance, is seeking access to federal health data. Kennedy’s goal, according to Howard Lutnick, is to utilize this data to argue that vaccines are unsafe, potentially leading to their removal from the market in the event of a second Trump administration.
In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Lutnick reiterated several debunked assertions commonly linked to Kennedy’s anti-vaccine campaign, which included incorrect claims about vaccination schedules and the discredited notion that vaccines are associated with autism. Trump has frequently mentioned Kennedy’s influence since he suspended his own presidential candidacy and endorsed Trump in August, stating that Kennedy will play a significant role in his potential administration.
Although Lutnick clarified that Kennedy would not be appointed as secretary of health and human services, he did not specify what position Kennedy might hold. On the same day, Kennedy revealed to NewsNation that Trump had requested him to “reorganize” several key public health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
The assertion from Lutnick raised substantial alarm among public health professionals, who warned that empowering one of the most notable anti-vaccine activists could pose “severe health consequences” for the population, particularly children. The timing of these statements is crucial as the candidates, Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, are both vying for the attention of undecided voters ahead of the impending Nov. 5 election.
During the CNN interview, Lutnick explained that Kennedy is interested in obtaining data “to demonstrate that these things are unsafe,” implying that if this were proven, companies might withdraw the vaccines from the market. “He says, if you give me the data, all I want is the data and I’ll take on the data and show that it’s not safe,” Lutnick elaborated.
It remains unclear what specific data Lutnick was referencing, as comprehensive research on vaccine safety is already available to the public. Over the past five decades, the World Health Organization has estimated that global vaccination initiatives have saved at least 154 million lives.
Recently, Trump has indicated he would allow Kennedy to take a more assertive role regarding health, food, and medicine policies. Kennedy has made it clear that he intends to exert his influence over various health-related policies if Trump secures another term, stating that Trump has promised him control of critical health agencies.
When asked about Kennedy’s prospective involvement in a Trump administration, campaign adviser Jason Miller remarked that the campaign’s primary focus is winning on Nov. 5. He noted that Trump has expressed intentions for Kennedy to have a significant role post-election.
Public health officials have expressed that it could be profoundly detrimental to grant Kennedy any authority over health policy decisions. Joshua Sharfstein, a vice dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, labeled the prospect of removing vaccines from circulation as “extremely dangerous,” emphasizing the critical role vaccines play in preventing diseases such as measles.
Even if Kennedy were assigned a less direct role, providing advisory input without direct decision-making power, it could still have negative consequences, experts argue. Trump’s former surgeon general, Dr. Jerome Adams, raised concerns about possible misinformation, noting that informal advisers can wield significant influence without proper oversight, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adams expressed skepticism about Kennedy’s ability to lead a major health agency due to his lack of medical expertise and the challenges he may face in passing background checks.
Kennedy’s anti-vaccine organization is currently pursuing legal action against various news outlets, alleging they violated antitrust laws by taking measures to combat misinformation related to vaccines. Though Kennedy is on leave from the organization, he is still listed as an attorney in the lawsuit.
Traditionally, Republican lawmakers have maintained strong ties to pharmaceutical firms, even opposing laws that permit the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices. However, vaccine skepticism has become more pronounced within conservative circles recently, raising alarms among public health advocates.
Public health professionals are particularly troubled by the idea that Kennedy’s influence could resurrect discredited theories, wasting invaluable resources. “I don’t want to go back 30 years to fighting the anti-vaccine movement again,” stated Amy Pisani, CEO of Vaccinate Your Family, highlighting the contributions of Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to the COVID-19 vaccine, despite Kennedy’s ongoing criticism.
Vaccinate Your Family, co-founded by former first lady Rosalynn Carter, has worked alongside both Republican and Democratic administrations to promote vaccination initiatives over the last three decades. Pisani voiced her concerns about possibly reverting to previous battles against the anti-vaccine movement, calling the prospect of diverting taxpayer resources “untenable.”
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