The pride and prejudices of secretary Kennedy

From the start, secretary Robert F. Kennedy was one of the most controversial choices of the current administration. His long-standing anti-vaccin rhetoric and his vocal opposition to the consensus of experts supported by science have aroused many concerns among public health and health professionals concerning the relevance of his leadership. Senators, Democrats and Republicans, echoed such doubts during its confirmation hearings.

During the eight hours that the senators burned Kennedy on his political positions, a recurring theme appeared: a deep skepticism and hesitation to confirm it because of its anti-vaccine past. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La), doctor and chairman of the Senate aid committee, said: “Your past to undermine confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me.”

Fact: Kennedy has repeatedly contradicted the overwhelming scientific consensus, supported by in -depth research, which affirms that there is no link between vaccines and autism. Barely two years ago, Kennedy said in an interview with Fox News that “there is no vaccine that is safe and effective”, but insisted during his confirmation audience of the Senate that he was never anti-Vaxx “.

Fact: Kennedy made promises during her audience who convinced enough senators – even a hesitant cassidy – which his previous anti -vacuum feelings would not interfere with the development of policies to defend American health. However, a little more than six months after the start of his mandate, this reflection of the wishes is carried away. Kennedy’s anti-vaccine views aggressively and negatively influence policies, resulting in an alarming impact in the real world.

Fact: In June, Kennedy dismissed the CDC advisory committee on mass vaccination practices (ACIP) and replaced them with its own anti-vaccine allies picked by hand. The new AIPI then recommended that the Thimérosal will be removed from vaccines, a sure ingredient that Kennedy has long targeted, using it to undermine the confidence of vaccines based on Hocus-Pocus data.

Result? American parents are not increasingly uncertain to vaccinate their children. The Wall Street Journal has recently covered how parents feel embarrassment, now more than ever, to withdraw from the routine vaccinations of childhood. This occurs in the middle of a 33 -year summit in cases of measles in the United States – a preventible vaccine disease. The resurgence of a declared disease eliminated in the United States in 2000 is a striking regression for America and partly motivated by the country’s health management. What is the next step, Polio?

Current research and scientific evidence continue to support the safety of vaccines. A recent Danish study revealed that aluminum ingredients in vaccines do not increase children’s health risks, after looking for 1.2 million children for two decades. Infantile vaccination experts call for this study the best evidence available on aluminum safety in vaccines. However, Kennedy works to reject the study by calling it “a deceptive propaganda”. His statement is based on rhetoric, rather than evidence – on pride and prejudices.

A leader in public health who actively denies and does not take into account the expert scientific consensus is not a leader in public health working for the improvement of public health. Under the direction of a vaccination skeptic, we have seen a drop in vaccination rates, epidemics of avoidable diseases and the rejection of scientific research – all with disastrous implications for American health. If Kennedy cannot face reality, for the safety of the Americans, it may be time for a new leadership.

Photo: Eric Lee / Bloomberg via Getty Images

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