Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent doubter of the safety of vaccines, told reporters on Tuesday that he will chair a commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity as part of Donald Trump’s administration.
The president-elect’s spokeswoman issued a statement hours later saying “no decisions have been made” about “forming a committee on Autism.” But the news is already raising concern about what Trump, who has a long history of questioning vaccine safety, could do to undercut childhood vaccines.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT Plus. To get you started, enjoy 50% off your first 3 months!
GET STARTEDWhat is it?
STAT Plus is STAT's premium subscription service for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis. Our award-winning team covers news on Wall Street, policy developments in Washington, early science breakthroughs and clinical trial results, and health care disruption in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What's included?
- Daily reporting and analysis
- The most comprehensive industry coverage from a powerhouse team of reporters
- Subscriber-only newsletters
- Daily newsletters to brief you on the most important industry news of the day
- Online intelligence briefings
- Frequent opportunities to engage with veteran beat reporters and industry experts
- Exclusive industry events
- Premium access to subscriber-only networking events around the country
- The best reporters in the industry
- The most trusted and well-connected newsroom in the health care industry
- And much more
- Exclusive interviews with industry leaders, profiles, and premium tools, like our CRISPR Trackr.
About the Author
What he can do is help to get the truth out in the open in an honest discussion about vaccine safety – why are you so afraid of an open honest discussion?
Can’t the Sec of HHS, who Trump is appointing, put whoever he wants on ACIP committee?
Pres elect seems to never have met a conspiracy he doesn’t give at least some credence to.
As Neil deGrasse Tyson has said “Nothing is more dangerous than a scientifically-illiterate adult in power.”