RFK Jr. vows to take on Big Pharma after health | Political News

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowed to problem Big Pharma costs as he was confirmed to be the subsequent health secretary on Thursday amid a smattering of controversies.

RFK Jr. was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in a tight vote of 52-48. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was the only real Republican to vote in opposition to RFK Jr., becoming a member of all 45 Democrats and two Independents.

McConnell expressed his issues in a assertion: “Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions.”

McConnell additionally criticized RFK Jr.’s “record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories” and his efforts to raise skepticism about vaccines, which McConnell described as “not just uninformed — they’re dangerous.”

McConnell, who survived polio as a baby thanks to trendy medication, warned that with out it, he may have been paralyzed for all times. He emphasised the significance of the polio vaccine, stating, “For millions who came after me, the real miracle was the saving power of the polio vaccine,” and suggested anybody in search of Senate approval to keep away from any affiliation with such efforts, the Irish Star reported.

The surprising revelations from John F. Kennedy’s nephew simply keep escalating, from the disposal of a lifeless bear cub in Central Park to decapitating a whale and transporting its head within the household car.

His cousin, Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK, publicly condemned him in a viral TikTok video shared by her son Jack Schlossberg. In the video, which amassed tens of millions of views within hours, Caroline accused RFK Jr. of mixing stay rodents to feed his snake, characterizing his actions as “predator” habits and urging the Senate to reject his affirmation.

Despite being an outspoken lawyer, vaccine opponent and anti-vaxxer, RFK Jr. wields control over a staggering $1.7 trillion in authorities expenditure allotted for vaccines, food security, and health insurance coverage applications by way of the Department of Health and Human Services. Although some Republicans have proven profound skepticism in direction of his stance on vaccines, RFK Jr. was anticipated to secure Senate affirmation following a party-lines cloture vote of 53-47 that ended debate on his affirmation.

At 71 years previous, RFK Jr.’s life has been steeped in public consideration, shadowed by the tragic assassinations of his uncle, JFK, and father, Robert F. Kennedy Sr.

Among the conspiracy theories he has propagated are claims that vaccines trigger autism, that a worm is eating his mind and that uncooked milk is protected and healthy to eat. He has additionally advised that the nation’s 5G mobile towers are getting used for surveillance and that the CIA was chargeable for his father’s death.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, RFK Jr. centered his efforts on a nonprofit that sued vaccine producers and used social media campaigns to undermine trust in vaccines nationwide in addition to authorities businesses selling them regardless of a wealth of scientific proof refuting his claims of their harmfulness.

Appointed by President Donald Trump, RFK Jr. believes he’s “uniquely positioned” to restore religion within the very public health businesses he has criticized, together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes for Health (NIH).

Republican senators have embraced RFK Jr.’s imaginative and prescient, enthusiastically adopting and repeating his slogan, “Make America Healthy Again.”

Just final week, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) expressed hope that RFK Jr. would ship on his guarantees to control healthcare prices and improve Americans’ health.

However, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who’s a physician, acknowledged that the conspiracy theorist would need to guarantee him that he would not alter present vaccine suggestions earlier than he may assist him.

Democrats have constantly expressed doubts about RFK Jr., repeatedly difficult him during hearings to refute the broadly debunked declare that vaccines trigger autism — a concept that RFK Jr. actively propagates.

Concerns have been raised concerning the potential for RFK Jr. to revenue from alterations in vaccine pointers or the weakening of federal lawsuit protections for vaccine producers, pointing to a perceived battle of curiosity. Last yr alone, he earned over $850,000 by way of a scheme the place he referred purchasers to a law firm suing Gardasil’s producers, a vaccine that protects in opposition to cervical most cancers brought on by human papillomavirus (HPV).

As Health Secretary, RFK Jr. pledged to redirect charges from this association to his son. His takeover of the division coincides with a vital restructuring of the federal authorities spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, who’s now main the fictional Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk quickly halted billions in public health funding, leaving hundreds of federal workers unsure about their future. On Friday, the NIH introduced a cap on billions in medical analysis funds allotted to universities and used for developing remedies for ailments like most cancers and Alzheimer’s.

RFK Jr. himself has advocated for a staffing overhaul on the NIH, FDA, and CDC, promising final yr to dismiss 600 workers on the NIH, the nation’s largest financier of biomedical analysis.