RFK Jr. sends 'worrisome signal' with vaccine chief's ouster
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. won't acknowledge the scientific consensus that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.
That skepticism over seemingly settled science appeared to come to a head over the weekend when the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) top vaccine official was forced out and issued a fiery public letter blasting Kennedy.
“It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies,” wrote Peter Marks in his resignation letter.
"Efforts currently being advanced by some on the adverse health effects of vaccination are concerning," Marks continued. "Undermining confidence in well-established vaccines ... is irresponsible, detrimental to public health, and a clear danger to our nation’s health, safety, and security."
Marks has been criticized for being too friendly with companies seeking approvals for novel gene therapies, while Kennedy has railed against what he sees as an overly cozy relationship between regulators and industry.
Public health experts and scientists have expressed fear about Kennedy’s long history as an anti-vaccine advocate since President Trump nominated him as secretary shortly after the election.
Marks’s ouster brings to a head a series of developments that seem to bolster concerns about the agency’s direction.
HHS reportedly has tasked a major player in the anti-vaccine community to conduct a study looking for the autism link that Kennedy insists is real, despite hundreds of studies showing otherwise.
In response to a rapidly growing measles outbreak in Texas, Kennedy........
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