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.
Kennedy Jr., as health secretary, publicly adopted positions at recent Senate hearings that contrast with his earlier statements.
Previously asserting no vaccines were safe and effective, he has since described actions supportive of vaccination and preventive care.
He also acknowledged a recent view that the MMR shot could have prevented a child’s measles-related death.
These efforts follow significant budget reductions across agencies and revisions to vaccine policy.
This has created a political challenge for the Trump administration in balancing outreach to MAHA supporters while stepping back from certain MAHA priorities deemed impractical or politically risky.
The article excerpt does not provide specific dates, quantitative data, details of the vaccine approvals, or documentation of the fraud crackdown’s scope.