More than 15,000 doctors across the country signed an open letter urging senators to vote against President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In the letter, physicians say they are “appalled” by Trump’s “reckless” appointment of Kennedy, arguing he would be “dangerous” if confirmed to the top public health post.
“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,” the letter reads.
The letter was published online Thursday by the Committee to Protect Health Care.
Physicians’ outrage over Kennedy’s nomination stems mainly from his many controversial health stances, including the long-debunked idea that vaccines contribute to autism and that school shootings are linked to antidepressant use, according to the letter.
“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.”
An environmental lawyer by trade, Kennedy is more well known for being a prominent vaccine skeptic who founded the antivaccine nonprofit organization Children’s Health Defense.
While Kennedy has denied that he is against vaccines, he has a long record of repeating debunked claims about potential harms caused by vaccines. He has repeated the false claim that autism comes from vaccines and pushed conspiracy theories that the COVID-19 vaccine was designed to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.
“This appointment is a slap in the face to every health care professional who has spent their lives working to protect patients from preventable illnesses and death,” the letter continues.
The letter is part of a broader campaign effort from the Committee to Protect Health Care to encourage health care workers to try to stop Kennedy’s confirmation as HHS secretary. Doctors and other health care workers are encouraged to contact senators, email the American Medical Association and other professional groups as part of the campaign.
Kennedy is meeting again with senators on Capitol Hill this week to convince lawmakers to vote in favor of his HHS secretary confirmation. If every Democratic senator opposes him in his confirmation hearing, he will need all but three Republican votes to be confirmed to the position.
A spokesperson for Kennedy has yet to respond to a request for comment from The Hill.
