Things got intense on Wednesday when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, clashed with Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon over Kennedy’s stance on vaccines.
The hearing, held before the Senate Finance Committee, kicked off with Kennedy addressing misconceptions about his views.
“News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-[pharmaceutical] industry. I am neither,” Kennedy stated.
He elaborated further, saying, “I am pro-safety. I’ve spent years advocating for awareness about mercury and other toxic chemicals in fish—nobody ever called me anti-fish! Vaccines are a vital part of healthcare, and all my kids are vaccinated.”
But Senator Wyden wasn’t buying it.
He confronted Kennedy, saying, “In your testimony today, you denied being anti-vaccine. Yet, in a 2023 podcast, you said, ‘No vaccine is safe and effective.’ Are you lying now, or were you lying then?”
Wyden doubled down, pointing to another podcast from 2020 where Kennedy allegedly said he would avoid vaccinating his kids if given a second chance.
Kennedy Fires Back
Kennedy, visibly frustrated, didn’t hold back.
“Senator, that statement from the Lex Fridman podcast has been repeatedly taken out of context,” he began. He explained that his comment about no vaccine being “safe and effective” was meant to emphasize individual variability.
“Every medicine, including vaccines, can affect people differently. He interrupted me before I could finish that thought, and I’ve corrected this multiple times on national platforms. You know this, Senator Wyden. Bringing it up again is dishonest,” Kennedy said, his tone growing sharp.
The Samoa Controversy
Wyden then accused Kennedy of contributing to a tragic measles outbreak in American Samoa in 2019, which he claimed led to the deaths of 83 children.
“You traveled there yourself and fueled anti-vaccine sentiments, exacerbating an already critical situation,” Wyden alleged.
Kennedy called the accusation false, responding with a firm defense:
“Your version of events in Samoa is absolutely wrong. I visited the region in 2019, months before the outbreak, to introduce a medical informatics system that would digitize health records and improve healthcare delivery—not to discuss vaccines,” Kennedy explained.
He continued, “You cannot find a single Samoan who will say, ‘I didn’t get vaccinated because of Bobby Kennedy.’ The outbreak started two months after my visit.”
Setting the Record Straight
Before wrapping up, Kennedy clarified his position:
“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. As HHS Secretary, I will do nothing that discourages anyone from getting vaccinated. That’s my commitment.”
The fiery exchanges highlighted a contentious and polarizing topic, leaving many eager to see how this nomination will unfold.
