Over 15,000 doctors have united to urge senators to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for secretary of health and human services under President-elect Donald Trump. A letter signed by these healthcare professionals stresses the importance of appointing a leader at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who values science, evidence-based medicine, and the integrity of the public health system. The letter condemns Kennedy as unqualified and dangerous due to his anti-vaccine stance and promotion of conspiracy theories, such as unfounded connections between school shootings and antidepressants, as well as debunked Covid-19 treatments.
The Committee to Protect Health Care, an advocacy group for physicians, shared the letter online. Despite meeting with senators from both parties on Capitol Hill, Kennedy faces significant opposition, as he will require nearly unanimous Republican support for confirmation if all Senate Democrats vote against him. Kennedy has not responded to the doctors’ concerns as conveyed in the letter.
In response to the backlash against Kennedy’s nomination, his spokesperson within the Trump transition team dismissed the opposition from healthcare professionals and public health groups as mere fundraising tactics. The letter from doctors, along with a campaign urging healthcare professionals to contact their senators and the American Medical Association, are part of the ongoing resistance to Kennedy’s controversial appointment.
Critics have pointed to Kennedy’s past actions, including a trip to Samoa prior to a deadly measles outbreak, as evidence of his unsuitability for the role. Various organizations and leaders, including the liberal nonprofit Protect Our Care and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, have voiced serious concerns about Kennedy’s ability to safeguard public health if confirmed.
Multiple groups, including Community Catalyst and Public Citizen, have strongly opposed Kennedy’s nomination, citing concerns about his qualifications and potential impact on public health. In a display of solidarity against Kennedy’s nomination, healthcare professionals and lawmakers with backgrounds in public health have joined forces to denounce his candidacy.
Despite claims from Kennedy’s supporters that opposition is a ploy by pharmaceutical companies, critics remain steadfast in their belief that his appointment could have grave consequences for public health. The ongoing campaign against Kennedy’s nomination reflects a collective effort to ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services is led by someone who prioritizes the well-being of the American people.
A prominent health advocacy group, comprising of non-profit health corporations, has been actively engaged in opposing pharmaceutical companies in state-level initiatives aimed at establishing prescription drug affordability boards. “We are certainly not allies of Pharma, and they are not allies of ours,” remarked Dr. Rob Davidson, the executive director of the committee and an emergency room physician based in Michigan. Dr. Davidson emphasized that he, along with thousands of other individuals who signed the petition, were driven by a commitment to patient welfare. “Kennedy poses a significant and immediate threat,” he asserted.
