Rubio says US to ‘reengage’ with global vaccine program

The United States may resume funding for a global humanitarian vaccine alliance, reversing a decision by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to hold up the money because of vaccine concerns, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated Tuesday.  

Rubio told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the State Department was wresting back control of the U.S. relationship with Gavi, an organization that distributes vaccines to developing countries. 

Rubio said President Trump had asked that Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, “play a leading role” on the Gavi funding decision “because of the strongly held views with regards to vaccine safety, and he wanted them to conduct some reforms.” 

Congress has long provided a large part of Gavi’s budget, and the State Department has historically overseen Gavi funding. But Kennedy and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been holding up $600 million in previously appropriated money because of vaccines he believes are unsafe.  

Rubio on Tuesday said the State Department was going to “reengage on this issue of Gavi.” 

The department was not going to “yank this thing” from Kennedy, Rubio said, and will still “listen to his points of view,” but he made the decision a few weeks ago that the State Department will take the lead role on the relationship with Gavi.  

“HHS and the State Department continue engaging directly with Gavi and remain cautiously optimistic........

© The Hill