Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon have expressed serious concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to become the next health and human services secretary. In a letter to Kennedy, they highlighted potential financial conflicts of interest related to his involvement in vaccine litigation. They questioned his fitness for the role given his past skepticism about vaccine safety and efficacy.
Kennedy recently disclosed his financial interests in ongoing litigation against a vaccine maker and agreed to divest his stake to his son. However, the senators remain skeptical, pointing out that he could still have an “indirect” financial stake in vaccine-related cases regulated by HHS.
Warren and Wyden have called on Kennedy to make specific commitments to address their concerns, including recusing himself from vaccine-related decisions and avoiding involvement in cases where he or his family have a financial interest. Despite Kennedy’s assurance to abide by ethics guidelines, the senators remain wary of his potential conflicts of interest.
The Finance Committee is set to vote on Kennedy’s nomination, with a simple majority needed to advance it to the full floor for consideration.
his application.
