Controversial Robert Kennedy confirmed as US Health Secretary

The US Senate has confirmed Robert Kennedy, who is considered by many as an anti-vaccine campaigner, as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The Senate confirmed him as Secretary of HHS with a 52-48 vote. The vote was mainly along party lines: all Democrats opposed the nomination and most Republicans supported it.

Only one Republican, Mitch McConnell, the former Senate Majority Leader, voted against Mr Kennedy’s confirmation.

Mr Kennedy was voted to lead the HHS despite being considered one of the world’s most famous anti-vaccine campaigners.

In the past, he has consistently questioned the safety and efficacy of routine vaccines, including those for hepatitis B and influenza.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that he had propagated a debunked claim linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism—a theory rooted in flawed research from the 1990s. With his confirmation, Mr Kennedy now heads the agency that oversees everything related to health, including drugs, vaccines, food safety, medical research, and medical aid in the US.

Concern for his anti-vaccine sentiment

His nomination by President Donald Trump had raised concern among public health experts and stakeholders, many of whom feared that his leadership could undermine trust in medical science and established health institutions.

He was also heavily scrutinised at his confirmation hearing at the Senate last month. Democratic senators at the hearing accused him of embracing and spreading conspiracy theories to dissuade the public from the use of lifesaving medicines.

One of the democrats, Michael Bennet, had described Mr Kennedy as one who spoke passionately but had a record of half-truths and false statements.

“It doesn’t matter what you come here and say. It’s not reflective of what you believe,” Mr Bennet said.

Mr Kennedy, however, denied being anti-vaccine or spreading misinformation about vaccine safety.

He told the Senate committee that reports accusing him of being anti-vaccine were untrue as he was neither “anti-vaccine nor anti-industry.”

“News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety,” Mr Kennedy had said.

He also pledged to the senators that, as HHS secretary, he would take no action that discourages or makes it harder for people to get vaccinated.

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“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS Secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,” Mr Kennedy said.

However, many Democratic senators remained sceptical, a sentiment reflected in the senators’ voting pattern.