Over 15K Doctors Sign Letter Urging Senate to Reject RFK Jr. as Health Secretary
Physicians Group Cites Anti-Vaccine Views, Conspiracy Theories, and Lack of Qualifications
More than 15,000 doctors have signed a letter urging senators to vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services. The letter was posted online by the Committee to Protect Health Care, a physicians’ advocacy group.
“The health and well-being of 336 million Americans depend on leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, evidence-based medicine, and strengthening the integrity of our public health system,” the letter reads. “RFK Jr. is not only unqualified to lead this essential agency — he is actively dangerous.”
The letter cites Kennedy’s well-documented anti-vaccine views and advocacy, as well as his promotion of conspiracy theories, including baseless claims about a link between school shootings and antidepressants and his promotion of disproven treatments for COVID-19.
“This appointment is a slap in the face to every health care professional who has spent their lives working to protect patients from preventable illness and death,” the letter says.
Kennedy’s Meeting with Senators
Kennedy has been meeting with Republican and Democratic senators on Capitol Hill in anticipation of his confirmation hearing, the date for which has not yet been set. Kennedy would need all but three Republican votes if all the Senate’s Democrats vote against his confirmation.
Reactions from Advocacy Groups and Healthcare Professionals
The Committee to Protect Health Care, a physicians’ advocacy group, is just the latest to speak out against Kennedy’s nomination. The liberal nonprofit group Protect Our Care, which advocates to preserve the Affordable Care Act, launched a campaign this week with a report and digital ads highlighting Kennedy’s 2019 trip to Samoa before a measles outbreak that killed 83 people, most of them children.
In November, the health care consumer advocacy group Community Catalyst called Kennedy “wholly unqualified and a dangerous pick,” and the nonprofit progressive consumer rights group Public Citizen said Kennedy would “endanger people’s lives if placed in a position of authority over health.”
Conclusion
The opposition to Kennedy’s nomination is widespread, with thousands of healthcare professionals and advocacy groups speaking out against his appointment. The fate of his nomination remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the health and well-being of millions of Americans depend on the Senate making the right decision.
FAQs
* Who is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.?
+ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a lawyer and environmental activist who has been chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
* What are the concerns about his nomination?
+ Many have expressed concerns about his anti-vaccine views, conspiracy theories, and lack of qualifications for the role.
* What is the reaction from healthcare professionals and advocacy groups?
+ Thousands of healthcare professionals and advocacy groups have spoken out against his nomination, citing his dangerous views and lack of qualifications.
* What is the next step for Kennedy’s nomination?
+ His confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled, and the fate of his nomination remains uncertain.
