President-elect Donald Trump chose to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday. This appointment is not a surprise, as it was highly anticipated. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 70, is a former environmental lawyer known for his controversial positions on vaccines and public health.
“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the food industry and pharmaceutical companies that have engaged in deception and misinformation when it comes to public health,” Trump said on Truth Social. He added that, under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health “will play a big role in ensuring that everyone is protected from chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and food additives dangerous people who have contributed to the enormous health crisis in this country.
The new role of health agencies
Donald Trump also affirmed that American health agencies “will revive the traditions of excellence in scientific research” and “return to a model of transparency” with the aim of “ending the epidemic of chronic diseases and restoring its greatness and its health to America.
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy must still be confirmed by the Senate, with a Republican majority. The move sparked mixed reactions, particularly because of Kennedy's positions on vaccines. Indeed, he is known for spreading conspiracy theories, particularly on vaccines against Covid-19, developed in record time under the Trump administration, as the Barrons site recalls.
A former presidential candidate
Robert F. Kennedy initially ran for president as an independent candidate before withdrawing and calling for a vote for Donald Trump. He has also been involved in personal controversies, having described having abandoned the corpse of a bear cub in Central Park in New York and having had to have a worm removed from its brain, mentions the Canadian site La Presse.
The appointment could have significant implications for public health policy in the United States, given Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial positions on vaccines and other health issues. Public health experts have expressed concerns about the potential impact of his appointment. “I am extremely concerned about the future of public health, the environment and science over the next four years,” said Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health law at the Georgetown University Law Center, quoted by The Hill.
