From vaccines to abortion to fluoride, here’s what RFK Jr. said about 6 hot-button health issues during his confirmation hearings

The official purpose of Robert F. Kennedy Junior Senate confirmation sessions this week is that legislators decide whether Kennedy is appropriate to supervise 80,000 employees and An annual budget of $ 1.8 trillion As Minister of Health and Humanitarian Services.

But as a long environmental lawyer It turned into a skeptical prominent vaccineKennedy dismantled many positions in a conflict with the scientific consensus, so that his sessions were a major general struggle over some of the most controversial and confused health issues.

Here is a quick evidence for the main concerns of the Senate members about Kennedy – and how he responded.

Vaccines

This week, Kennedy insisted that he is “a supporter of safety and supporter of science” instead of “fighting the anxious”-while critics claimed that it is called a conspiracy view “mainly” to prevent him from asking difficult questions with strong interests. “

However, in recent years, Kennedy Make a profession “Interrogation” of vaccination science, The claim is a lie in more than 100 general matches Those shots recommended by medical professionals and federal authoritiesFull generation of American children“By operating autism, allergies and chronic diseases.

“There is no safe and effective vaccine.” He said in an interview of Podcast 2023. (Last April, a A major historical study In Lancet showed that global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives over the past fifty years – including 101 million infants.)

On Wednesday and Thursday, Democratic Senate members – and at least one of their Republican colleagues – pressed repeatedly on Kennedy to clarify his position now after he had the ability to reshape the American vaccine policy as HHS minister. (In this role, Kennedy said he would conduct more federal reviews of vaccines, however You will not seek To remove it from the market.)

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana Kennedy asked about his allegations that were timid that measles and hepatitis B requests cause autism, but Kennedy refused to budge, saying only, “If I show me data, I will be the first person to guarantee the American people who prove they should take these vaccines. “

Dozens of studies conducted in recent decades I have already proven that there is no connection between vaccination and autism spectrum disorder.

“This is a very worrying response because the studies are present,” the independent Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont. “Your job was to consider these studies as the applicant’s applicant for this job.”

Kennedy continued to doubt the spoiled Rana vaccines as well. (It was previously called flexible footage of Covid-19 “The most bloody vaccine[s] From ever – ” – It is a mistake – And I submitted a petition to the Food and Drug Administration to cancel their license) When Kennedy admitted on Thursday that he would distribute the Full Birds vaccine if necessary-despite the recall of the Federal stock previously.dangerous“Democratic Senator Andy Kim from New Jersey asked whether they were eligible snapshots.” I need to look at all data, “Kennedy replied.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a democratic representing Massachusetts, asked Kennedy if he accepted any Responsibility of the last measles outbreak Samoa who killed 83 people, most of them children and children. (The Prime Minister suspended the country’s vaccination program in 2018, and Kennedy traveled there in the following year at the request of a person called the “Medical Freedom Champion” who was later arrested for publishing the pollen information.

“No, certainly no,” Kennedy responded to Warren.

Kennedy tried to assure the members of the Senate that he was “supportive”, as he said, to some other vaccines, and at some point he agreed that the polio vaccine is safe and effective and pledges that he “will do nothing as a minister of HHS, which makes it difficult or discourages people from taking it.”

A similar note has been introduced to the HPV vaccine, which was found effectively in Reduce cervical cancer ratesAlthough he previously called him “dangerous and flawed”, and he is currently participating in a lawsuit against its maker.

Cassidy – the doctor who talked about how he saved the vaccines, or could have saved them, was not his patients – convinced of Kennedy’s answers, and Casidi could be the decisive vote for progress in Kennedy’s nomination.

Cassidy told Kennedy: “What worries me is that if there is any wrong note, that is, undermining the confidence of Mama in the vaccines, another person will die from an integral disease from the vaccine.” “That is why I was suffering from your nomination.”

“You may hear from me during the weekend,” Senator added.

miscarriage

Before compatible with Trump, Kennedy-a member of the most famous democracy clan in America-was identified as a supporter of selection.

“I will not leave the abortion to the countries,” he He said in 2024. “My belief is that we should leave it to a woman. We should not share the government … even if it is a full period.”

However, Kennedy in the face of a retreat from the Republicans in a session on Wednesday, Kennedy confirmed instead that “every abortion is a tragedy” – and pledged to “implementation [Trump’s] The policies of “HHS secretary because he will serve” with the President’s pleasure.

“I agree with [Trump] Kennedy said: “We cannot be an ethical nation if we have 1.2 million miscarriages per year,” Kennedy said. “I agree with him that countries should control abortion.”

Kennedy also promised to further investigate MivePristone, a drug used in the so -called drug miscarriage, which is currently the most common way to end the pregnancy. It was the pill already Vasplicized investigation For safety – and found that she has less negative results From Thailanol.

He did not respond directly when asked if he would be bound to reach the MivePristone.

“[Trump] He has not yet taken a position on how to organize it. “Whatever he does, I will implement these policies.”

Kennedy also pledged to follow Trump’s progress in “The end[ing] Relative abortion in the range “;” protects[ing] Protective exemptions “; and” End[ing] Federal financing for miscarriage abroad. “

“What matters to me more is what he will do,” the Republican Senator Josh Holie He said earlier this week. “I can’t change his views, but I will definitely get obligations from him about what he will actually do.”

Medicare/Medicaid

If this is confirmed, Kennedy will supervise the implementation of medical care (for the elderly) and medicaid (for low -income patients).

But it seemed uncommon on Wednesday with the nuances of the huge government health care programs responsible for covering more than 150 million Americans; Sometimes, it appears to be mixed.

Kennedy said that medicaid “was fully paid by the federal government.” In fact, it is a division between Washington, DC and the states. He also claimed the premiums of medical aid and discounts “very high”; In fact, the vast majority of Americans on Medicaid do not pay any installments or discounts. When he was asked how the program would be suitable, Kennedy said he would “increase transparency” and “increase accountability”, but he failed to provide any details.

“I don’t have a wide suggestion,” I admit.

Kennedy’s mistakes – also struggled Determine the basic components of medical care Democratic Senator Ron Widen from Oregon prompted a suggestion that he might be “unprepared” for this position. “My colleagues once again saw between Medicare and Medicaid, and it is not clear which program you use when,” Widan said.

Weiden later added.

fluoride

In November, Kennedy said in a post on social media that “Trump White House will all recommend. Water systems to remove fluoride from public waterThe “claim” industrial waste “associated with a wide range of health problems.

The next day, Trump News told him that he did not talk to Kennedy about fluoride, “but this looks good for me. You know it’s possible.”

Since 1945, societal floods reduced to dental decay by about 25 % in American children and adults. “Experts consisting of scholars from the United States and other countries, with experience in various health and scientific disciplines, considered the evidence available in the literature that was reviewed by the counterparts and did not find convincing scientific evidence linking the water of society to any possible health effect or systematic disorder,” ” Disease control and prevention centers Countries on their website.

The only documented problem, as the Center for Disease Control added is fluorine, a condition that can stain teeth. To treat fluorine disease, US officials in 2015 reduced the recommended fluoride concentration in drinking water to 0.7 milligrams per liter (to the bottom of 1.2 milligrams previously). This equals about 3 drops in a barrel of 55 gallons.

During the Wednesday session, Kennedy was martyred A recent study Which – which Fluoride is associated with reducing intelligence levels As evidence that his concerns about the filfed drinking water have been validated.

Kennedy said: “I was summoned to conspiracy persons because I said that Florid has reduced the intelligence rate,” Kennedy said. “Last week, Jama published a dead review of 87 studys saying that there is a direct adverse relationship between lost intelligence.”

However, this research was based on fluoride levels at about twice the recommended limit for us.

Mental health drugs

At the emergence of April 2024 on the Bill Bill Maher, Kennedy speculated, though The lack of scientific evidence to support such allegationsThis antidepressant use can explain the emergence of fire in the United States in recent years.

Kennedy said: “I really started to happen with the introduction of these medications, with Prozac and other drugs,” Kennedy said.

He also has Referred For people who take hyperactivity disorder medications, attention lack or serotonin absorption inhibitors (SSRIS) for depression as “addicted” should be sent to “wellness farms” in rural areas alongside those who depend on opioids.

Kennedy said on Wednesday: “Hear, I know people, including my family members, who have spent much worse than SSRIS than people who left heroin,” Kennedy said on Wednesday.

Kennedy is right to note that the use of medical steroids to treat hyperactivity, lack of attention and mental health has been steady since 2012 – though – though – Only 9.3 % Of children taking drugs for mental health or improving concentration, according to estimates of the Center for Disease Control, Kennedy does not claim 15 %. Adult women, not children, were responsible for most of the recent increase in use.

Experts say Kennedy’s demands about addiction and fire in schools are wrong, and democratic Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota noticed on Wednesday.

“This is my own for me,” Smith said. “[SSRIs] Help me remove my mind, and I returned me to the right track until I am my mother, wife and happy and happy person. I am really grateful for this treatment. “

“These phrases that I have … enhance the stigma of shame faced by people with mental health every day,” I continued. “I am very concerned that this is another example of your record of sharing the wrong and misleading information that already hurts people.”

Food and drink

The less controversial parts of Kennedy’s sessions came when he focused on his desire to “make America healthy again” by improving what Americans eat and drink – especially American youth.

“We will check chemical additives in our food supplies. We will remove financial disputes from our agencies. … We will reflect the chronic disease epidemic and return the nation to the road to good health.” He said in his opening statement.

complete 40 % Among us children have a chronic health condition such as autism, diabetes, asthma or allergies – a higher number when obesity is included.

Food safety defenders generally agree that the United States will benefit from greater supervision of additions. Researchers have also found consistent connections between high food consumption and a set of health conditions, According to the New York TimesIncluding heart disease, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some types of cancer.

“We need to fix our food supplies,” Kennedy said on Wednesday. “This is the first thing.”

“I am strongly agreed with the slogans that I drafted,” make America healthy again. “I am strongly agreed with this effort.”