WASHINGTON — Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
once said there are no vaccines that are safe and effective. On Wednesday, he seemed to have changed his tune.
Across two Senate hearings, Kennedy noted that as health secretary, he funded the development of new vaccines, green-lit new shots for patients, asserted flu vaccines are preventive care, and even urged “every child to get the MMR,” a shot he previously suggested wasn’t safe. Last week, he acknowledged the shot could have saved the life of a child who died of measles.
Kennedy’s agenda continues to make waves across American health care, as his department pursues a broad crackdown on alleged fraud and seeks to upend Americans’ relationship with ultra-processed foods , all after major cuts across health agencies and a reworking of vaccine policy. But the about-face expands to a number of core MAHA issues — chemicals in food and the government’s relationship with industry among them.
Health secretary Robert F.
Kennedy Jr., previously quoted asserting that no vaccines are safe and effective, presented a noticeably different public stance during two Senate hearings.
In those sessions he described departmental actions that supported vaccine development, authorized new immunizations for patients, characterized influenza vaccination as preventive care, and urged universal MMR vaccination for children—positions at odds with earlier statements.
Kennedy stated that, in his role, he financed development of new vaccines and approved rollout of additional shots for patients.
He also acknowledged that the MMR vaccine might have prevented a recent pediatric measles fatality.
The department under his leadership is pursuing a broad enforcement effort targeting alleged health-care fraud, and is advancing initiatives addressing population exposure to ultra-processed foods.
The reported rhetorical reversal extends beyond vaccines to core MAHA topics cited in the article, including chemicals in food and the federal relationship with industry.
Some insurgent movement leaders reportedly express disillusionment with the administration’s departure from previously championed MAHA priorities.
STAT characterizes the administration as attempting to reconcile continued outreach to the MAHA political base with the abandonment of certain MAHA policy aims deemed impractical or politically risky.
The available excerpt is a news summary; full reporting is behind STAT’s subscriber access.