Kennedy refused to say vaccines don't cause autism during his hearings.
President Donald Trump has promised he'd let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" on health, food and medicine as head of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy, a Democrat who ran as an independent but ended up supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential campaign, was grilled by senators over his views on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and more during two days of confirmation hearings.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.
Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy and Rand Paul, both doctors, had a brief argument over the Hepatitis B vaccine for infants.
Cassidy defended the vaccine's efficacy amid Paul's questioning of some of its uses: "A vaccine on day one of life prevents chronic Hepatitis B 95% of the time."
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Kennedy shared a heated exchange on the question of vaccines and if Kennedy would state that they don’t cause autism and save lives.
Sanders asked about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Kennedy said he was unsure if the vaccines saved lives,
“if you show me science that shows that,” Kennedy said.
“Bobby, you say if I show you, you’re applying for the job,” Sanders said. “I mean, clearly, you should know this and that is the scientific community has established that. That COVID vaccines saved millions of lives and you’re casting doubt.”
Kennedy denied saying that he believed Lyme disease is a "militarily engineered bioweapon" despite admitting that he "probably did say" that during Wednesday's hearing.
"I've never believed that, senator," Kennedy said in response to a question
from Sen. Bill Cassidy. "What I said as that, if that we should always follow
the evidence."
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of blacklegged ticks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Chairman Bill Cassidy, a physician, repeatedly questioned Kennedy on whether he will accept the data showing no link between autism and the measles or Hepatitis B vaccines.
"If the data is there, I will," Kennedy said at first, prompting pushback from Cassidy that the data is already available.
"That really is a yes or no question," Cassidy said.
Kennedy went on to say if he was shown the studies showing no link, he "will apologize for any statements that misled people otherwise."
Sen. Bernie Sanders quickly followed up on that line of questioning.
"That is a very troubling response, because the studies are there. Your job is to have looked at those studies as an applicant for this job," Sanders said.
