Trump nominates RFK Jr. to top U.S. health job

LONDON (Reuters) – President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist who has spread misinformation on vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States’ top health agency.

Below are comments from scientists, public health experts and market analysts:

DR KRISHANTHI SUBRAMANIAM, LECTURER AT THE INSTITUTE OF INFECTION, VETERINARY AND ECOLOGICAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL:

“(The nomination) is alarming not just to the health of those living in the U.S. but also to everyone in the global community.

“Kennedy has a track-record of being a vaccine denier and has touted vaccine misinformation as scientific truth. This announcement may usher in a heightened period of vaccine hesitancy in the United States which would mean outbreaks of diseases that vaccines have kept at bay.”

PROFESSOR JOHNJOE MCFADDEN, PROFESSOR EMERITUS, FACULTY OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF SURREY:

“(The nomination) once again demonstrates his disregard for science in favour of pseudoscience, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. If he is confirmed, the policies he advocates could be a disaster, particularly for American children.”

PROFESSOR SIMON WESSELY, REGIUS PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY, KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

“That sound that you just heard was my jaw dropping, hitting the floor and rolling out of the door. As someone who graduated from a Texas High School I have great admiration and affection for Americans. They deserve better, much better, than this.”

DR DAVID ELLIMAN, CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN, GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN:

“While RFK Jr’s desire to tackle chronic conditions including obesity is commendable, how he might go about it is less clear.

“What is really concerning are his views on vaccination. He has perpetuated myths, including that of a link between MMR vaccine and autism, with an utter disregard for the evidence.

“If he is appointed and continues in the same mode, I fear not just for the vaccination programme in USA, but similar programmes around the world, and for healthcare, in general.

“Vaccination has probably saved more lives and is better researched than most, if not all, aspects of healthcare. RFK Jr. could set this back and be responsible for the death and disability of myriads of people, particularly children.

“Let us hope that, if appointed, he adopts a more responsible attitude. Directing his energies to the ‘industrial food complex’ would be no bad thing, as would ensuring more transparency from pharmaceutical companies.”

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SPOKESPERSON MARGARET HARRIS:

“It’s for WHO’s member states to make their decisions on the direction and implementation of their own national policies, agendas, who they appoint, etc.

“But it is important to reiterate that the United States is a vital partner of the World Health Organization, and our collaboration, as you have seen over and over, has significantly improved the health of Americans at home and people around the world and obviously, WHO continues to work closely and productively with the United States Government on many, many fronts in order to protect and promote public health.”

LAWRENCE GOSTIN, GLOBAL HEALTH EXPERT AND PROFESSOR AT GEORGETOWN LAW IN WASHINGTON D.C. (SPEAKING BEFORE RFK’S NOMINATION WAS ANNOUNCED):

“An RFK JR in the White House and loyalist appointed to these key agencies (CDC etc) could be a downfall for scientifically based objective vaccine recommendations that the world has followed.

“The other thing is vaccine donations, and whether or not Trump would continue the tradition of donating vaccines such as mpox vaccines, as Biden has done … so those are really crucial areas of importance.”

TD COWEN ANALYST RICK WEISSENSTEIN:

“We continue to believe that Kennedy Jr. will not be confirmed by the GOP controlled Senate.”

“Trump could try to use a recess appointment to get Kennedy Jr. into office. Recess appointments are allowed only when the Senate is out of session for 10 or more days.

“If Trump manages to make a recess appointment, RFK Jr.’s term would only last for about two years at the most, though Kennedy Jr. could be appointed again through the same recess appointment or through the regular Senate confirmation process.”

JPMORGAN ANALYSTS:

“Admittedly, it is difficult to evaluate the exact impact this appointment could have on the industry until we have more information on specific policy proposals and priorities of the incoming administration on healthcare and the drug industry.

“That said, we are not surprised the sector has been under pressure on the potential for RFK Jr. having oversight of the various agencies within HHS (including the FDA, the CDC, NIH, and Medicare/Medicaid) given his previous stated views on the industry.”

JEFFERIES ANALYSTS:

“To be clear, RFK has said he has no plans to ‘take away vaccines’ but the point is around sentiment, stance, and perspective – that impacts biotech investors’ view of how FDA and other HHS issues will evolve (ie not accelerating drugs and pro-biotech).

“RFK has also been outspoken on vaccines – but this is ‘less’ of a direct concern for most of the biotech industry other than to cast additional concern around the stance of RFK overall on the industry and underlying science driven decisions.”

(Reporting by Reuters; Compiled by Josephine Mason; Editing by Peter Graff)