McConnell Warns RFK Jr. Over Polio Vaccine Skepticism, Citing FDA Petition

Dec 14, 2024, 12:00 AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, issued a strong statement defending the polio vaccine on Friday, following reports that Aaron Siri, an attorney linked to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., had petitioned the FDA in 2022 to revoke its approval of the vaccine. McConnell, without naming Kennedy directly, warned that efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not only uninformed but dangerous. He emphasized the importance of the vaccine, which has saved millions of lives, and suggested that any association with such efforts could jeopardize Senate confirmation for positions in the incoming Trump administration. Kennedy, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has been advised by Siri during his vetting process for candidates for the department. Despite Kennedy's claims of not wanting to take away vaccines, his association with vaccine skepticism has drawn significant attention and criticism. McConnell, who is stepping down as the Senate Republican leader next month, could remain a pivotal vote in Kennedy's confirmation.