Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Director underneath the Trump Administration, instructed Congress on Wednesday that he believes folks “shouldn’t be taking medical recommendation from [him]”.
The feedback have been made at a Home Appropriations Committee listening to on Could 14, because the committee reviewed the Trump Administration’s 2026 budget request, which was launched on Could 2.
Throughout the listening to, Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan requested Kennedy whether or not, if he had a toddler now, he would vaccinate them for measles.
“In all probability for measles,” Kennedy stated earlier than backtracking. “I don’t assume folks must be taking recommendation — medical recommendation — from me….I believe if I reply that query instantly, it’s going to seem to be I am giving recommendation to different folks, and I do not wish to be doing that.”
Kennedy has been known for his controversial stances on vaccines, elevating questions on vaccine security. Since being tapped to guide HHS, he has tried to distance himself from the anti-vaccine movement and lately backed vaccination as a preventive device throughout a measles outbreak.
He nonetheless maintains nonetheless, that vaccines must be left to folks’ discretion, and has continued to spread misinformation about the measles vaccine.
“Okay, however that’s form of your jurisdiction, as a result of the CDC [Center for Disease Control] does give recommendation,” Pocan responded. The CDC supplies steerage on illness prevention, the event of finest well being practices, and offering entry to immunizations.
The listening to targeted on proposed deep cuts to well being providers within the Administration’s “Skinny Price range,” in search of $94 billion for the HHS companies— a discount of about 26% from the 2025 stage. The finances additionally goals to chop packages and workers at a number of HHS companies, together with the Nationwide Institutes of Well being (NIH) and the CDC.
The finances additionally proposes $500 million for Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which incorporates downsizing the HHS from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time workers, and specializing in “ending America’s epidemic of power sickness.”
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