5 days after being sworn in as the brand new Secretary of Well being and Human Providers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Feb. 18 gave a speech by way of video hyperlink to workers members of the Division of Well being and Human Providers, making clear that he would use his submit to problem extensively accepted norms round medication and science, however promising HHS staffers that he would take heed to their enter.
As POLITICO’s Chelsea Cirruzzo and Adam Cancryn wrote on Wednesday afternoon, “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. implored federal well being company staff on Tuesday to ‘let go’ of preconceived notions of him and begin from ‘sq. one,’ however he additionally promised that ‘nothing goes to be off limits’ in his pursuit to scale back persistent illness.” They quoted Kennedy as stating that “A number of the doable components we’ll examine have been previously taboo or insufficiently scrutinized. I’m prepared to topic all of them to the scrutiny of unbiased science.”
Cirruzzo and Cancryn famous that “Kennedy’s feedback — his first prolonged remarks since being confirmed final week — come as Washington reels from firings and funding cuts pursued by the Elon Musk-led Division of Authorities Effectivity. Among the many companies Musk has focused are these at HHS, leaving profession officers and lawmakers fearful in regards to the impression on public well being. Kennedy made no point out of the dismissals,” they famous, “solely hinted towards his earlier feedback threatening the roles of federal company workers proof against his reforms. “Those that are unwilling to embrace these sorts of concepts can retire,” they quoted him as saying, and noting that he added that he trusts “the idealism of most people who work at HHS.” The speech was supposed to be seen dwell by HHS staffers, however quite a few members of the press discovered methods to entry the handle dwell as nicely.
In the meantime, the New York Instances’s Sheryl Homosexual Stolberg and Christina Jewett wrote on Wednesday afternoon that “In a sign of how he plans to make use of his new authority, Mr. Kennedy additionally made clear that he would prod the division, and the ‘Make America Wholesome Once more’ fee established by President Trump that he’ll lead, to prioritize subjects he cares about however that he stated have been ‘previously taboo or insufficiently scrutinized’ by mainstream scientists.”
Additional, they quoted “Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine knowledgeable at Kids’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who’s amongst Mr. Kennedy’s most vocal critics,” as saying that “the remarks urged that Mr. Kennedy did, in actual fact, have preconceived notions. Dr. Offit additionally famous that there was a variety of explanations for persistent illness that Mr. Kennedy didn’t point out: genetics; modifications within the intestine microbiome, the microbes that populate the intestinal tract; the usage of sure medicine; and the truth that Individuals live longer and thus dealing with persistent illnesses that include age,” they added.
“He’s saying that every one the scientists earlier than him who’ve weighed in on the validity of those causes have all been within the pocket of someone — however not him, he’s going to look backstage, he’s going to inform us what the actual reality is,” Dr. Offit instructed the Instances reporters.
With regard to supposed coverage modifications, ABC Information’s Anne Flaherty on Wednesday afternoon quoted Kennedy stating throughout his speech that “We’ll convene representatives of all viewpoints to review the causes for the drastic rise in persistent illness. A number of the doable components we’ll examine have been formally taboo or insufficiently scrutinized.” And he or she wrote that “He then gave a listing of those ‘doable components’ to research together with the childhood vaccine schedule and “SSRI and different psychiatric medicine,” referring to federally accepted medicine that assist deal with such situations as melancholy and anxiousness. Research don’t counsel vaccines or SSRIs are responsible for persistent diseases, comparable to autism or weight problems. Critics argue Kennedy’s rhetoric might create extra doubt and public distrust of those medicines,” she added. And, she wrote, “Additionally on his record was electromagnetic radiation, herbicides and pesticides, ultra-processed meals, synthetic meals, allergy symptoms, microplastics and long-lasting chemical substances used within the manufacturing of non-stick pans. Scientists are actively exploring the doable well being impacts of environmental toxins, with some research suggesting they may play a task in persistent diseases.” And, she wrote, “Kennedy’s willingness to revisit the childhood vaccine schedule seems to be at odds together with his Senate testimony in January during which he instructed skeptical lawmakers that he particularly supported federal suggestions.” At the moment, she famous, he testified to the Senate that “I assist vaccines. I assist the vaccine schedule. I assist good science.”
Flaherty quoted Kennedy as extending an olive department to HHS staffers, telling them, “Let’s all depoliticize these points and reestablish a standard floor for motion, and renew the seek for existential reality with no political impediments and no preconceptions. I promise to be prepared to be unsuitable.”
