Robert F. Kennedy Junior’s nomination for Donald Trump’s health secretary is tired of long records of anti -vaccine and anti -science statements. Even if a Republican member accepts him as an icon crust Democrats and other critics have blamed Kennedy As a result of having no scientific or bureaucratic experience to work effectively.
However, when Kennedy is drawn as a clown, those criticisms have missed important things. Kennedy not only published for his strange claims, but also broadcast them and earned a lot of money. And he was able to stand to make more from the anti -Waksin Crusade as the top health official in the United States. This is a brave self -transaction that is almost normal in Trump’s United States.
As The New York Times reported Last week, Kennedy introduced a potential plaintiff (the people who were injured by the vaccine) to the law firm, Wiss Baum. (He is also involved in other incidents for the company.) Wiss Baum pays Kennedy in these introductions, vaccines, and other cases. He has earned more than $ 2.5 million in the past two years. If a vaccine manufacturer loses the lawsuit, Kennedy will receive a financial reward.
At the hearing of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday on Wednesday, Kennedy refused to end his relationship with Wiss Baum when asked by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Ma).
After Kennedy did not accept the pharmaceutical company’s money as a secretary of a pharmaceutical company, Warren asked if Kennedy would not take money from the lawsuit. To Pharmaceutical company under the agreement with Wisner Baum.
“You make me sound like a silk,” Kennedy replied. After that, I refused Warren’s question with an excuse and “I ask me not to appeal to a pharmaceutical company.”
Warren, while serving as a secretary of the United States Health and Welfare, rushed through various ways Kennedy could affect the results of those lawsuits. She said he was able to publish an anti -vaccine theory theory, “This time with the US government letter head.” He was appointed anti -vaccine scientists as a federal vaccine panel, and was able to remove vaccines from a child’s schedule recommended by the federal government. According to Warren, he even provided FDA data, appealing to a drug company and told a law firm to compensate for their victory.
Considering another opportunity by Warren, Kennedy refused again to delete financial interests from the anti -Wakshin lawsuit. Instead, a few minutes later, he argued that he had an unfair malice as a conspiracy theorist because he opposed the interests of powerful companies. Profit conflict.
“No one should be fooled here,” Warren said. “As a secretary of HHS, Robert Kennedy has the power to weaken vaccine and vaccine manufacturing throughout our country … Kennedy kills the vaccine and can earn millions. Children may die, but Kennedy can maintain cash. ”
Despite all of these, the Senate has at least on track to approve his nomination. Kennedy testifies the Senate Health Committee on Thursday.
The second Trump term has been further restricted by the old governance norms that praise the avoidance of public servants who can benefit from their roles. In that respect, Kennedy is very similar to Trump itself. His RISIBLE official statements, designed to draw spectacles, can be distracted by the old -fashioned corruption that is occurring behind the scenes.
For the past 30 years Vaccine saved life More 1.1 million children in the United States Alone. During the same period, they do so Save Americans saved direct medical expenses of $ 540 billion. There are signs of social costs by preventing illness such as polio and measles.
Kennedy spent Several decades Spread of vaccination anti -scienceAnd the organization and child’s health defense, First anti -vaccine advocacy organization In the United States and overseas. As part of his disclosure as a Cabinet candidate, Kennedy reported millions of dollars In addition to the revenue from Wisner Baum, in the income from an engagement that spoke from his public profile.
Kennedy’s anti -vaccine campaign also had a serious effect on health. His support in the anti -vaccine in Samoa in the United States has helped to promote the waves of vaccines in the island country. a 2019 measles epidemic So they killed 83 people and most of them killed their children.
When he criticized his involvement by Senator Ron Widen (D-Or) at a hearing on Wednesday, Kennedy claimed that he did not play a role in outbreak, and many people were actually dying with measles. I claimed. (Death was so It was reported by the relevant WHOand Measles continues to kill 100,000 people around the world Every year. ) He also refused to answer questions from Widen about whether measles are fatal illness.
Kennedy has supported ideas that contain other conspiracy about health. He is a “industrial waste” related to various diseases. I suggested that it needed to be deleted From all US water systems. He has I guess there is a sense of discomfort of gender It may be due to herbicides exposure and tacit mass shooting. It is linked to antidepressants.
These views have been angry at scientists, but have also helped to promote rapid growth. At present, influencers and companies are trying to make money by selling themselves like Kennedy as a substitute for the conventional drug and wellness industry.
One of the more prominent hearings, Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) asked Kennedy about his unfounded beliefs in a series of rapid questions. Bennett pushed Kennedy about his past I insist on lime disease “Possibility” designed by the army. “I probably said that,” Kennedy said.
Despite the long history of Kennedy’s anti -Waksin Letrick, he said he would not take his vaccine before, before the election, and again. “We support polio vaccines. I support measles vaccines,” he said in exchange with Warren. This is despite his long Record of the official statement that lights vaccinesInstead, it suggests that chicken soup can heal the disease, including questioning the need for a shot.
However, Trump’s co -chairman said that Kennedy wanted to access the federal health data just a week ago to prove the vaccine. Pull them out of the US market。
And if the federal government says that the vaccine is not secure under Kennedy, it may provide more basin lawsuits and increase Kennedy’s income. He refuses to say that he will withdraw from the conflict of profits speaks and raises their fears. Warren gave him easy to commit to a good government principle. He refused to take it.
In addition to the possibility that Warren has floated, Kennedy can ask doubts about the safety of the vaccine. He was particularly strictly strict and monitored the safety of the vaccine, but was able to revive HHS’s national vaccine program office. Closed between President Trump。
As a health secretary, he also supervises the disease management prevention center (CDC) under HHS. The institution plays two important roles in promoting vaccines in the United States. We will convene an advisory committee on vaccination practices to provide and manage experts recommendations for who will gain what vaccine and what age. Vaccine program for childrenWe provide free vaccines for millions of children in low -income families.
The Advisory Committee is not obliged by federal law. This is convened because the CDC historically wanted it. A vaccine skeptician who was appointed to operate a CDC will put a staff member in the vaccination prevention activist’s committee, completely dissolves, further invades the religion of the people, and is more often in anti -vaccine litigation. It may provide fuel.
It is unprecedented to have a very open and hostile president and HHS secretary to the establishment of a public health in the United States. Already, as Nationwide slip of vaccination rateThe United States is watching more Measles and other diseases It was previously pushed out by the vaccine. Usually, we hope that the top healthcare representatives in the country will appear to restore the resources necessary to prevent such occurrence. However, Kennedy has financial interests, as well as the ideologies that deny vaccine effectiveness and safety. We are in an unprecedented area.
