15/11/2024
Doctors Across the Nation Outraged at RFK Jr.'s Appointment to Secretary of Health and Human Services
As physicians who care deeply about the health and safety of our patients and communities, we are appalled by Donald Trump's reckless decision to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). 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. RFK Jr. is not only unqualified to lead this essential agency–he is actively dangerous. We urge the Senate to protect and defend our patients' access to quality health care by rejecting his appointment.
This appointment is an affront to the principles of public health, the tireless dedication of medical professionals, and the trust that millions of Americans place in the health care system. RFK Jr. has a well-documented history of spreading dangerous disinformation on vaccines and public health interventions, leaving vulnerable communities unprotected and placing millions of lives at risk. His appointment is a direct threat to the safety of our patients and the public at large.
A strong public health infrastructure can only be achieved when we work collectively to protect one another. Vaccines are among the greatest medical breakthroughs in history, saving millions of lives and transforming communities worldwide. The polio vaccine, for instance, prevented 20 million cases of paralysis in American children and has nearly eradicated the disease. Similarly, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been shown to completely prevent cervical cancer–an achievement once thought impossible.
Despite this, RFK Jr. has spent decades undermining public confidence in vaccines, spreading false claims and conspiracy theories, even going so far as comparing vaccination programs to N**i Germany. His organization, Children's Health Defense, has fueled the long-debunked myth that vaccines cause autism. This falsehood – based on a retracted study by a doctor who lost his medical license – has generated widespread distrust in life-saving vaccines, leaving children unprotected from preventable diseases and communities at risk of outbreaks.
As doctors, we have witnessed the real-world consequences of this disinformation. In 2019, RFK Jr. visited Samoa and amplified doubts about the safety of measles vaccines. After his visit, vaccination rates plummeted from 60 percent to just 31 percent, sparking a measles outbreak that killed 83 people–most of them children under the age of five. RFK Jr.'s actions directly contributed to this tragedy, and exemplify the tangible dangers of disinformation promoted by an influential public figure.
Beyond vaccines, President-Elect Donald Trump's HHS pick has a long record of spreading baseless conspiracies, including linking school shootings to antidepressants, claiming COVID-19 was engineered to spare specific ethnic groups, and promoting discredited COVID-19 treatments like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. Such statements not only lack scientific merit but also actively erode public trust in evidence-based medicine and endanger the patients we are committed to protecting. His agenda has no place in public health leadership.
To make matters worse, RFK Jr. lacks any credible experience in health care or medicine. He has vowed to gut the staff, funding, and resources of federal health agencies responsible for protecting public health, effectively dismantling the public health infrastructure we depend on to prevent disease and improve health outcomes. RFK Jr.'s rhetoric and actions endanger the health of millions, especially children, by undermining trust in essential health care. His appointment threatens to reverse decades of progress in improving health outcomes for patients across the country and the world. This is not leadership – it's sabotage.
Let's be clear: 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. Americans deserve better. Our patients deserve a Secretary of HHS who upholds the principles of science and public health, focusing on addressing real public health crises facing Americans such as the high cost of prescription drugs, access to care, and the systemic barriers patients face – not someone whose legacy is built on lies and conspiracy theories.
As physicians, we are outraged by this appointment and we call on the Senate to act immediately. Reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination and demand qualified leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, the protection of public health, and the well-being of all Americans. The health and security of our nation depend on it. Anything less is an abdication of responsibility to the American people.
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Thank you for standing with us to oppose the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Your voice is critical in this effort, and we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring your participation remains confidential.
