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Top Republican 'struggling' with RFK Jr.'s nomination over Kennedy's vaccine views
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.
Key Headlines
Kennedy refuses to say that COVID vaccines saved lives
Kennedy cast doubt on the lifesaving benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying he doesn't think that "anybody" can say the vaccines saved millions of lives.
A 2022 study from the Yale School of Public Health and University of Maryland Medical School estimated the vaccine saved 3 million lives and prevented 18 million hospitalizations.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked Kennedy about that study, as well as President Donald Trump's comments calling the vaccine "one of the greatest miracles of the ages," and asked if he agreed that vaccines saved millions of lives.
"I don't know. We don't have a good surveillance system, unfortunately," Kennedy said.
-ABC News' Cheyenne Haslett
Kennedy: 'Show me where I'm wrong on this'
Kennedy, seeking to defend against past anti-vaccine remarks, said he wants HHS under his potential leadership to have a "gold standard" and "evidence-based science."
"And if you show me where I'm wrong on this, show me a single statement I made about science that is erroneous," he said.
Kennedy made a number of false or unfounded statements regarding vaccines, pesticides, and more. A fact-check of some of his claims during his first confirmation hearing can be found here.
Democrats, and some Republicans, are confronting Kennedy throughout this hearing and have been pointing to data that shows vaccines like those for measles, polio, HPV and more are safe.
HPV vaccine is safe, effective despite past statements from Kennedy
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the HPV vaccine is safe and effective despite past statements from Kennedy that the HPV vaccine is "dangerous" and increases the risk of cervical cancer.
"Do you stand by those statements, yes or no?" Sen. Patty Murray, of Washington, asked.
"I stand by your previous statement. I litigated on that issue. I represented hundreds of young girls who felt that they were injured by the vaccine," Kennedy replied.
Kennedy has referred clients to a firm suing Merck over claims that it failed to communicate alleged risks of its HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine was recommended in 2006 in the U.S, for routine vaccination at age 11 or 12.
The HPV vaccine is safe and effective, according to the CDC. Data shows that in the 10 years after the vaccine was recommended in 2006 in the United States, infections with four strains of HPV infections decreased by 86% in female teens ages 14 to 19 and 71% in women in their early 20s.
Kennedy says he will implement Trump policy on mifepristone
Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed for a commitment from Kennedy to keep mifepristone on the market. Kennedy said he wouldn't get ahead of President Donald Trump on the issue.
"President Trump has not chosen a policy," Kennedy said. "I will implement his policy."
Trump shifted his stance on abortion access throughout the 2024 campaign, largely saying it's a state issue. He avoided speaking in depth on his view on the abortion pill. The Biden administration vigorously pushed back against legal challenges brought against mifepristone that arose after the fall of Roe v. Wade.