Trump Names RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary; Former FDA Chief Gottlieb Warns Nomination "Will Cost Lives"

Nov 29, 2024, 06:18 PM

President Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known anti-vaccine activist, as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy has previously likened vaccinating children to "Nazi death camps" and abuse by the Catholic Church, and has criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as "fascist." His nomination has drawn significant criticism from health experts and former officials, including former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, now a Pfizer board member who served in the first Trump administration. Gottlieb has expressed deep concerns about Kennedy's potential policies, warning that "it will cost lives" and could lead to decreased vaccination rates and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, and even polio. Opponents are also alarmed by Kennedy's stated intentions to roll back core public health protections and to fire or relocate existing HHS staff, including shipping them to a new headquarters in Guam. Efforts are underway to block his confirmation due to fears that his leadership could undermine public health and safety.