1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I write with the utmost urgency to express my alarm at Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s recent call for new vaccines to be tested against placebos rather than against existing, proven vaccines. This proposal flagrantly violates fundamental principles of medical ethics and clinical research and places human lives at unacceptable risk. When an effective vaccine already exists, to withhold that protection from trial participants is to subject them to preventable disease and suffering. Mr Kennedy’s stance also directly contravenes long‑standing FDA regulations and the Declaration of Helsinki which require that new interventions be tested against the best available standard of care. His advocacy threatens to erode public confidence in our health system at a time when vaccine hesitancy is already undermining community protection. I urge you to introduce or cosponsor a congressional resolution condemning Mr Kennedy’s proposal as unethical and calling for his immediate removal from any advisory role related to vaccine policy. I further request that you seek an oversight hearing before the relevant committee to examine his qualifications and to hold him accountable under oath. In addition please support a formal ethics investigation by the Office of Government Ethics and the FDA Office of Chief Scientist into any potential violations of federal research regulations. Finally I ask you to sponsor legislation that would prohibit any vaccine trial from including a placebo arm if an FDA approved vaccine is already available. Our constituents deserve leaders who uphold scientific integrity and who protect the health and safety of every American. I trust you will act swiftly and decisively to prevent this dangerous proposal from gaining any further traction. Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical matter. I look forward to your response and to learning the steps you will take.