Should Robert F. Kennedy Jr. be HHS Secretary?

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  He will need to have his nomination confirmed by the Senate which I believe will occur.  He certainly fits in with Trump’s rather unconventional choices for various other cabinet leaders and government officials. To refer to RJK Jr. as controversial or eccentric are understatements.  We have all read about the worm in his brain, the dead bear that he deposited in Central Park in NYC and the whale head he attached to the top of his car on their way home, as related by his daughter.

Is this a desired profile for HHS secretary who will be overseeing the NIH, CDC, FDA and Medicare and Medicaid?  If confirmed, he would yield enormous power to craft new health care policy in this country, particularly under a president who champions disruption.

Kennedy is a known vaccine skeptic, has promoted unproven Covid-19 treatments, supports the consumption of raw milk, opposes fluoridation of drinking water among other unproven or disproven beliefs and practices.

 

RFK Jr, hanging out with his uncle in the oval office in 1961.

But some of his positions are more mainstream.

He wants to reform many of our health agencies.  And while we witnessed great success during the pandemic, we also observed many missteps, conflicting and muddled communications, mitigation recommendations that were applied unevenly, permitted teachers’ unions to reject expert medical advice that returning to classrooms was safe and insufficient consideration of the long term social, economic and educational costs of a prolonged lock down.  So, I think it’s fair to take a look at our health agencies to improve them.

Kennedy is tightly focused on chronic illnesses, a very worthy pursuit.  I think the medical community remains very reactive in treating all manners of chronic diseases.  Of course, I support this.  But where’s the R & D on finding ways to reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic kidney disease and depression?

He wants to regulate food additives and ultra-processed food both of which have gained mainstream support.

He opposes direct-to-consumer drug advertising which are omnipresent on television. I’d love to see them stricken from the airwaves although I suspect that the First Amendment may be an obstacle.

I do not support RFK Jr’s nomination although I will have no vote in the process.  I find that many of his positions on public health measures are not science based, particularly with regard to vaccines which have been a towering medical achievement that has saved millions of lives. I think that he and his team could threaten the legitimacy of sound science and longstanding effective health policy.  And, he is not a medical professional which I maintain would enhance the qualifications of an HHS candidate.

But, the electorate has chosen disruption at various levels of the government.  Would you expect that these newly elected politicians would be choosing conventional and safe individuals when assembling their team?