Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, continues to disappoint with his incredibly subpar work. RFK Jr. continues to set our nation up for a health crisis. From the outbreak of eradicated diseases in young children to the ridiculous claim that he’ll find the cause of autism, this man has continued to disappoint over and over.
Kennedy’s views are dangerous, and his power in government is deadly. Kennedy tries to seem open-minded to vaccines, but his actions and background say that he is set in his ways. Kennedy was the founder and a loud advocate for the anti-vaccine nonprofit Children’s Health Defense (CHD), which was also a leading cause of the death of Samoan children due to vaccination misinformation. He claims to be educated on vaccines, yet he cites sources that were funded and conducted by anti-vaccine groups.
Kennedy is a profound liar. Kennedy has been on a firing spree, including firing all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, replacing those roles with people that he found fit, with some of those people being vaccine skeptics themselves. During his confirmation hearing, he promised not to change the CDC’s ACIP, yet quickly changed his mind after his confirmation. He has faced well-deserved backlash for this.
Kennedy is a misinformer. As of late, the Trump administration, which includes Kennedy, announced the “cause” of autism. What they claim to be the cause is acetaminophen, or Tylenol, when taken by pregnant women.
“Don’t take Tylenol,” President Donald Trump said. “There’s no downside. Don’t take it. You’ll be uncomfortable. It won’t be as easy, maybe. But don’t take it if you’re pregnant. Don’t take Tylenol, and don’t give it to the baby after the baby is born.”
This argument should be worrisome for those in our nation, as this claim was built on a time crunch and has in no way been developed deeply enough to have the government react in such a way. It is also claimed that the administration is beginning to test a drug called leucovorin, or simply folinic acid, as a “cure” for autism. Although there are studies that show a potential link, some doctors and specialists speak out about the studies being weak in evidence or having no clear link between folinic acid and a lower likelihood of autism diagnosis.
Americans need to stand up and speak out about Kennedy’s wrongdoings, as it’s clear that it will continue to spiral out of control. We deserve a man who shows no bias against what he is supposed to be in control of. We need pro-science, pro-health and anti-misinformation. Without this, we will be left in the dust in the health world.
