‘Horror, even’: A CNN doctor spells doom for RFK Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services

Get your updated vaccines now, folks, because President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services will undoubtedly run this country’s already-crumbling health care system into the ground.

As Trump’s cabinet picks begin to roll out, each somehow worse than the one before, it’s sure looking like the U.S. is going back to simpler times—back to the 18th century, that is, when smallpox killed every one in three children, women were the property of their fathers/husbands, and we all had to hand-churn our own butter. But, uh, the cost of eggs…!

So far, Trump’s gathered an absolutely stacked roster of IRL Thanos-level supervillains including alleged sexual predator Matt Gaetz, Todd Blanche, a.k.a. his personal criminal defense attorney, and tobacco lobbyist Susie Wiles. But his latest pick might be his most deplorable yet: notorious anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Understandably, the medical community is horrified.

Doctors everywhere have “significant concerns” about RFK Jr.’s new White House gig

Speaking with CNN Thursday, Dr. Sanjay Gupta—an actual, licensed healthcare provider—relayed his and other healthcare professionals’ reactions to Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, describing it as a mix of “big concerns” and flat-out “horror.”

Well, you know, it’s not often that the entire medical and public health community is going to be in lockstep on something, but they’re pretty close on this in terms of their significant concerns — horror, even. Somebody said to me today, ‘I can’t think of any single individual who would be more damaging to public health than RFK.’ Keep in mind, I think if the reporting is correct and the job is the Secretary of Health and Human Services, that comprises the CDC — you know, we just got through this pandemic — comprises the FDA, comprises the NIH. He’s talked about wanting to basically strip funding for infectious diseases overall. Again, just coming out of this pandemic with concerns about other viruses and things out there.”

Gupta isn’t wrong here, given RFK Jr.’s long and storied history of blaming school shootings on antidepressants (yes, seriously) and spreading conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines. Let’s also not forget when Kennedy Jr. said with his full chest during a 2023 podcast appearance, “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” Again, this man has zero medical accreditation whatsoever and genuinely believes the debunked claim that certain ingredients in childhood vaccines cause autism, per a now-deleted op-ed published to Salon.

RFK Jr. wants to overhaul big pharma and U.S. food production—all while being openly anti-science

If appointed to Trump’s cabinet, RFK Jr. poses a dangerous threat to American healthcare as we know it. Considering that we’re coming off a pandemic, I can’t believe we’re still arguing over the safety of vaccines in 2024. Real healthcare professionals who have actually served on the front lines deserve to have a say in the going-ons of the U.S. government—not corrupt lawyers who will happily bend the knee to the orange-in-chief at the drop of a pin. Despite Kennedy Jr.’s adamance that he does not want to block access to vaccines, actually, I wouldn’t believe this guy for a second.

Again, RFK Jr. would be in charge of a whopping 80 thousand employees and a multi-trillion dollar budget as Secretary of Health and Human Services if selected. But instead of addressing key issues like cost of care, drug prices, and workforce shortages, Kennedy Jr. instead plans to tackle…big fluoride? While I’m not entirely opposed to his stance on processed foods and chemical additives, his track record of repeatedly denying scientific findings (and Republicans’ anti-regulation agenda) makes me think that true reform is more of a pipe dream than anything.