1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services raises significant concerns. Kennedy has repeatedly promoted anti-vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories that undermine public health efforts. His dangerous rhetoric contributed to deadly measles outbreaks in places like Samoa after vaccination rates plummeted due to his false claims. He has endorsed unproven and potentially harmful treatments like ivermectin for COVID-19 while attacking proven vaccines that have saved millions of lives. Kennedy's fringe views extend beyond vaccines – he has questioned basic facts about HIV/AIDS, fluoride, and wireless technology despite overwhelming scientific evidence. His disregard for scientific consensus and embrace of pseudoscience would severely undermine trust in public health institutions at a critical time. His proposal to prosecute medical journals for publishing "real science" is an authoritarian attack on free speech and open discourse. While Kennedy raises some valid critiques about corporate influence and chronic disease, his positions are outweighed by the immense damage his anti-science ideology would inflict on the nation's public health infrastructure. Placing someone who rejects evidence-based policymaking in charge of agencies like the CDC, NIH and FDA threatens to erode decades of progress and put American lives at risk from preventable diseases. I urge you to reject this dangerous nomination that deeply undermines scientific integrity and public health preparedness.