US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is facing backlash after sending a letter to a scientific journal that retracted a paper suggesting a link between vaccines and infant death. Public health advocates say Kennedy is trying to intimidate the journal and influence its editorial process.
Background on the Retracted Study
The journal Toxicology Reports removed the paper this spring after editors determined it was seriously flawed and could harm patients and pose a risk to public health. The paper suggested a connection between vaccines and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Kennedy's Letter and Reactions
Kennedy posted the letter on X, asking the journal to answer questions about its decision by June 25, including identifying the experts who conducted the investigation. Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC Law San Francisco, said Kennedy was "stepping close to violating their first amendment rights." Dr David Gorski, a surgical oncologist, noted Kennedy's hypocrisy on free speech.
An HHS official defended Kennedy, stating that asking questions is not censorship or coercion. The official said HHS is working to restore trust in public health through accountability and open scientific inquiry.
Journal's Response
The journal's editor and publisher, Elsevier, did not comment. Elsevier previously said the decision followed careful review and that the paper posed potential risks to public health. The paper, authored by Neil Z Miller, used VAERS data, which critics say Miller misunderstood. Forensic scientist Magdalen Wind-Mozley raised concerns in 2021 and filed a complaint. Miller defended his work, saying the journal's concerns were insignificant.
Miller said he was grateful Kennedy sought an explanation and hopes it prevents removal of controversial articles. Wind-Mozley called the paper "utter garbage" and criticized Kennedy's apparent bullying.
