Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the newly confirmed health secretary for the Trump administration who has called for sweeping policy changes, has made numerous false and misleading claims about vaccine safety. Kennedy has amplified conspiracy theories from a resurgent anti-vaccine movement, rejecting scientific evidence on shots that have saved millions of lives and reduced or eradicated many diseases.

Kennedy was confirmed February 13, 2025 in a 52-48 Senate vote after heated debate over his position on vaccines.

The son of a former US senator and nephew of former president John F. Kennedy has spread debunked claims linking vaccines to autism and led an activist group that amplified multiple false claims about Covid-19 vaccines.

Following his confirmation, Kennedy said he was "not going to take away anyone's vaccine," while also asserting: "We lack comprehensive safety studies on nearly all vaccines."

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Kennedy has dismissed critics who say he is anti-vaccine, claiming his views were mischaracterized and insisting he was advocating for "common sense" policies.

"Vaccines should be tested, they should be safe, everyone should have informed consent," he said.

Kennedy has been previously quoted as warning of a vaccine-linked "holocaust" and his nonprofit Children's Health Defense group raised millions of dollars as it spread misinformation about Covid-19 and other vaccines.

Context on vaccine safety

Nonetheless, numerous studies and scientific experts point to the...

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