Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, faced a combative questioning from lawmakers on Thursday over his stance on vaccines and public health decisions. During a hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee, Democrats accused him of promoting 'dangerous conspiracy theories' that undermine safe and effective vaccines.
Kennedy, a longstanding vaccine critic, has overseen significant changes to routine vaccination recommendations amid the largest measles outbreak in decades. Lawmakers highlighted nearly 2,300 measles cases under the Trump administration, with children dying as a result. Kennedy did not mention vaccines in his opening remarks, focusing instead on food dyes and other issues.
Representative Judy Chu criticised Kennedy for stopping universal recommendation of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Kennedy falsely claimed babies are at zero risk unless the mother is infected, ignoring that many pregnant patients are not tested and that the test has high false negative rates. He also incorrectly stated the vaccine has not been properly studied.
Republican Blake Moore expressed personal hurt over the administration's false claim that paracetamol use in pregnancy causes autism, which affected his wife. Kennedy also faces scrutiny over plans to reform the US Preventive Services Task Force and cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, with allegations of reinstating fraudulent agents.
