Former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Dr. Scott Gottlieb raised concerns Friday about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda for the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I think if RFK carries out his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe it will cost lives in this country,” Gottlieb told CNBC, referring to President-elect Donald Trump’s Kennedy. said that he will put forward his candidacy for the secretary of health.
“You’re going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down,” said Gottlieb, who led the FDA during the first Trump administration. “And like I said, if we lose another 5%, which could happen in the next year or two, we’re going to see major measles outbreaks. One death for every 1,000 cases of measles in children. And we’re not good at diagnosing and treating measles in this country.”
If he is confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedy’s role would include overseeing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the FDA, the agency responsible for reviewing and approving new vaccines.
Gottlieb cited Kennedy long history of vaccine skepticismcontains false claims that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine can cause autism.
This is a theory that has been regularly disproven and spawned from it Invalid research from the 1990s later led by a researcher lost his medical license.
according to The CDC states, “Studies to date continue to show that vaccines are not involved [autism spectrum disorder].” Kennedy also cast doubt on the effectiveness of Covid vaccines, which health experts say are effective. there is it is extremely safe.
In a 2021 meeting with Louisiana state lawmakers, Kennedy called the coronavirus vaccine unfounded.the deadliest vaccine ever developed.”
Kennedy just days after Trump was predicted to take back the White House This was reported by NBC News he will not try to unilaterally ban vaccines.
“If vaccines work for someone, I’m not going to take them. People should have a choice and this choice should be provided with the best information.” “So I’m going to make sure that the scientific safety and efficacy studies are there, and people can make individual assessments of whether this product is going to be good for them.”
Gottlieb also pointed to some of Kennedy’s controversial ideas as reasons why some Republican senators are reluctant to vote for his confirmation in January, including his position on abortion.
“I think there’s a lot more skepticism in the Republican party right now than I think the press is letting on,” Gottlieb said.
“It will happen [agricultural] state senators are concerned about its impact on food prices. There will be principled pro-lifers who are concerned about his position on abortion and a number of public health-minded senators who are deeply concerned about his position on vaccines,” the former FDA commissioner added.
Gottlieb also pushed back on the idea that Kennedy would not make drastic changes to health care policy in the United States, saying, “I’m not so sure people really understand how Kennedy’s intent is going to translate into policy and how serious it is. “
To prove his point, Gottlieb cited something from Kennedy consultantsDel Bigtree, said in November: “Bobby hasn’t been dragged through the mud for over a decade so he can break his values when he finally gets into the castle.”
Gottlieb added that while he doesn’t speak for the president-elect, he’s confident Trump won’t share Kennedy’s beliefs about vaccines.
“I talked to President Trump about vaccines in my first term,” Gottlieb said. “I do not think that these political efforts do not reflect his views. I don’t think the president wants to see a resurgence of measles, a resurgence of whooping cough in this country — God forbid there are polio cases in this country. He doesn’t want to see it.”
Representatives of Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Gottlieb’s remarks.