Kennedy says panel will examine childhood vaccine schedule after promising not to change it
To earn the vote he needed to become the nation's top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a special promise to a U.S. senator: He would not change the nation's current vaccination schedule.
But on Tuesday, speaking for the first time to thousands of U.S. Health and Human Services agency employees, he vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles, polio and other dangerous diseases.
'Nothing is going to be off limits,' Kennedy said, adding that pesticides, food additives, microplastics, antidepressants and the electromagnetic waves emitted by cellphones and microwaves also would be studied.
Kennedy's remarks, which circulated on social media, were delivered during a welcome ceremony for the new health secretary at the agency's headquarters in Washington as a measles outbreak among mostly unvaccinated people raged in West Texas. The event was held after a weekend of mass firings of thousands of HHS employees. More dismissals are expected.
In his comments Tuesday, Kennedy promised that a new 'Make America Healthy Again' commission would investigate vaccines, pesticides and antidepressants to see if they have contributed to a rise in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity that have plagued the American public. The commission was formed last week in an executive order by Donald Trump immediately after Kennedy was sworn in as the president's new health secretary.
That directive said the commission will be made up of cabinet members and other officials from the administration and will develop a strategy around children's health within the next six months. Kennedy said it will investigate issues, including childhood vaccinations, that 'were formally taboo or insufficiently scrutinized."
His call to examine the vaccination schedule raises questions about his commitment to Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana physician who harbored deep misgivings over the health secretary's anti-vaccine advocacy. Cassidy ultimately voted to send Kennedy's nomination to the Senate floor after he said Kennedy gave him assurances that he would not alter the federal vaccine schedule.
'On this topic, the science is good, the science is credible," Cassidy said during a Senate floor speech earlier this month explaining his vote. " Vaccines save lives. They are safe.'
Rigorous studies of thousands of people followed by decades of real-world use have proven that the vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration for both children and adults safely and effectively prevent diseases.
Cassidy said during his Senate speech last month that Kennedy had made a number of promises that stemmed from 'intense conversations" to garner his support. Specifically, Cassidy said Kennedy would "maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recommendations without changes.'
Those recommendations are what pediatricians around the country use to decide the safest and most effective ages at which to offer vaccinations to children. The committee meets every year to review the latest data on both old and new vaccines to ensure there are no red flags for safety or other issues before publishing its annual schedule.
When contacted about Kennedy's remarks, Cassidy's office did not comment.
Kennedy gained a loyal following for his nonprofit by raising objections to COVID-19 protocols and doubts around the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite his work, Kennedy repeatedly told senators that he was not 'anti-vaccine" during his confirmation hearings.
Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious-disease expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who sits on a federal vaccine panel, didn't believe him.
'I think he will do everything he can to make vaccines less available and less affordable because he's an anti-vaccine activist,' Offit, who developed the rotavirus vaccine that is on the CDC's childhood immunization schedule, said last week.
Kennedy promised staffers on Tuesday during his speech that he would keep an open mind in his new job and asked them to return the favor.
'A lot of times when I read these articles characterizing myself, I think I wouldn't want to work for that guy, either,' Kennedy said, eliciting some laughs from the crowd. 'Let's start a relationship by letting go of any preconceived perceptions you may have of me.'
___
Associated Press writers Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard in Washington contributed to this report.
— The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Warning over hair loss cream used by millions after doctors discover freaky side effect
Doctors have issued a warning about hair growth treatment minoxidil after a woman grew a beard. The 28-year-old reported using hair growth spray minoxidil to treat her hair loss caused by alopecia, suffered by 7million Americans that causes hair loss. Patients apply the medication, sold as a spray or foam, to the scalp and leave it in to absorb. However, the unnamed woman wore a wig during the day and cap at night, which causes the drug to be absorbed at much higher levels in her blood. It then traveled elsewhere in her body, causing uncontrollable hair growth in her face, arms and legs. Doctors say the 40million Americans who take the drug should be aware of the risks of wearing tight caps while taking it. Minoxidil, sold in the US under brand name Rogaine, is applied to the scalp to stimulate hair growth. It costs around $60 for a six-month supply. Doctors writing in as medical journal said: 'Exceeding this dose does not improve efficacy but significantly increases the risk of systemic absorption and adverse effects.' The FDA approved safe dose of the spray, which the woman used, is one milliter twice per day, or six sprays. While side effects are usually minor, such as scalp irritation or changes in hair texture or color, the drug has been linked to excess hair growth and loss. The woman in the case report was diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia, a form of hair loss caused by genetic predisposition or an imbalance of hormones like estrogen and androgens. Prior to treatment, the woman, from France, had a large bald spot on the top of her head. She had mild anemia and vitamin D, both of which can deprive hair follicles of oxygen and cause hair loss, but had no other health issues. Along with vitamin D and zinc supplements, she used five percent minoxidil spray twice a day for two months. She also had done three monthly sessions of LED therapy and plasma-rich plasma injections (PRP), which are meant to separate plasma from the blood and inject it back into the scalp. Plasma is rich in platelets, which have growth factors. After two months of minoxidil treatment, she returned to doctors with increased hair growth on her face, arms and legs. Doctors found wearing a wig during the day and a tight cap at night after applying minoxidil left the woman's scalp 'constantly occluded, day and night.' This means her scalp was constricted and hair follicles became blocked, leading the body to absorb higher amounts of minoxidil than if her hair follicles were still open. The doctors believe this lead to 'systemic absorption' of the drug and effectively a higher than safe dose. The experts wrote: 'Minoxidil is an effective treatment but can occasionally lead to hypertrichosis, especially when applied in high concentrations or over large areas of the body. 'This case illustrates the critical need for precise patient instruction on the correct application of topical therapies to prevent adverse systemic effects such as hypertrichosis.' The woman had laser hair removal on her face and stopped taking minoxidil. She continued with her other treatments.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
In Pictures: Bearskin caps in the luggage rack as Coldstream Guards return home
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Public inquiries placing pressure on Police Scotland
David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said public inquiries were having a 'detrimental impact' on policing. He said the issue could lead to a cycle in which taking officers away from their duties to deal with inquiries could ultimately result in more inquiries in the future, as the force suffers from a lack of resources. Mr Kennedy called for a ring-fenced fund for public organisations involved in inquiries to ensure services are not harmed. READ MORE: Local bus operator axes all of its services after entering 'liquidation' READ MORE: Glasgow travellers heading to two cities warned of 'violent muggings' He told the Finance and Public Administration Committee: 'The amount of and the sheer task that public inquiries place on the police service, resource-wise, is quite extraordinary. 'And what I've certainly seen since taking up my post and being in the federation for nearly 20 years is that there's never any budget set aside for the police service to take up these inquiries.' Mr Kennedy said the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry – one of several costing tens of millions of pounds – has cost Police Scotland £25 million, although it directly involves the force. 'On that figure alone, on a light scale, would give you 500 police officers,' he said. 'And with the current resourcing levels within Police Scotland, it is having an absolute detrimental effect on policing.' Mr Kennedy said that came at the same time as one detective inspector was dealing with 176 rape inquiries. 'That shows you the knock-on effect that inquiries can have on the day-to-day running of policing,' he said. Mr Kennedy added that the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry had also used 60 detectives at one point, which he said would take away from Police Scotland's resources elsewhere. He said the number of inquiries, which has increased in recent years, had led to some officers taking sick leave from work. Mr Kennedy told MSPs: 'The knock-on effect is when you have so many officers going on to a day shift role doing inquiries, that leaves the operational roles short.' He warned that the issue could lead to more future inquiries, saying: 'My concern at the moment is that we're going to have more public inquiries in 10 years' time because of items and cases that have been missed now, while we are taking people off the operational side of policing to help with the public inquiries that are ongoing.' SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson, convener of the committee, said the situation could become a 'self-perpetuating, increased cycle'. Mr Kennedy said the system must be reformed, including Police Scotland receiving the full cost of engaging with inquiries. His appearance comes as the committee investigates the cost-effectiveness of public inquiries in Scotland. The total cost of the country's public inquiries since 2007 currently totals £240 million, including £95.3 million for the ongoing Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. Meanwhile, the NHS has spent more than £3 million responding to inquiries since 2021, with the service now having established a dedicated team to respond to inquiries. Police Scotland and the Scottish Government have been approached for comment.
