Kennedy Says Panel Will Examine Childhood Vaccine Schedule After Promising Not to Change It
WASHINGTON (AP) — To earn the vote he needed to become the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy made a special promise to a U.S. senator: He would not change the nation’s current vaccination schedule.
A New Direction
But on Tuesday, speaking for the first time to thousands of U.S. Health and Human Services agency employees, he vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles, polio and other dangerous diseases.
“Nothing is going to be off limits,” Kennedy said, adding that pesticides, food additives, microplastics, antidepressants and the electromagnetic waves emitted by cellphones and microwaves also would be studied.
A Measles Outbreak Rages On
Kennedy’s remarks, which circulated on social media, were delivered during a welcome ceremony for the new health secretary at the agency’s headquarters in Washington as a measles outbreak among mostly unvaccinated people raged in West Texas. The event was held after a weekend of mass firings of thousands of HHS employees. More dismissals are expected.
The “Make America Healthy Again” Commission
In his comments Tuesday, Kennedy promised that a new “Make America Healthy Again” commission would investigate vaccines, pesticides and antidepressants to see if they have contributed to a rise in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity that have plagued the American public. The commission was formed last week in an executive order by Donald Trump immediately after Kennedy was sworn in as the president’s new health secretary.
The directive said the commission will be made up of cabinet members and other officials from the administration and will develop a strategy around children’s health within the next six months. Kennedy said it will investigate issues, including childhood vaccinations, that “were formally taboo or insufficiently scrutinized.”
Cassidy’s Concerns
His call to examine the vaccination schedule raises questions about his commitment to Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana physician who harbored deep misgivings over the health secretary’s anti-vaccine advocacy. Cassidy ultimately voted to send Kennedy’s nomination to the Senate floor after he said Kennedy gave him assurances that he would not alter the federal vaccine schedule.
“On this topic, the science is good, the science is credible,” Cassidy said during a Senate floor speech earlier this month explaining his vote. “Vaccines save lives. They are safe.”
The Science is Clear
Rigorous studies of thousands of people followed by decades of real-world use have proven that the vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration for both children and adults safely and effectively prevent diseases.
Cassidy said during his Senate speech last month that Kennedy had made a number of promises that stemmed from “intense conversations” to garner his support. Specifically, Cassidy said Kennedy would “maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendations without changes.”
The Current Vaccine Schedule
Those recommendations are what pediatricians around the country use to decide the safest and most effective ages at which to offer vaccinations to children. The committee meets every year to review the latest data on both old and new vaccines to ensure there are no red flags for safety or other issues before publishing its annual schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the “Make America Healthy Again” commission?
A: The commission will investigate vaccines, pesticides, and antidepressants to see if they have contributed to a rise in chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity.
Q: What is the current vaccine schedule?
A: The current vaccine schedule is set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and is used by pediatricians to decide the safest and most effective ages at which to offer vaccinations to children.
Q: Is the science behind vaccines clear?
A: Yes, rigorous studies of thousands of people followed by decades of real-world use have proven that the vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration for both children and adults safely and effectively prevent diseases.
Q: Who is on the “Make America Healthy Again” commission?
A: The commission will be made up of cabinet members and other officials from the administration, including the new health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy.
Q: What is the timeline for the commission’s work?
A: The commission will develop a strategy around children’s health within the next six months.
