The questioning comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced grueling testimony on Thursday to secure the Secretary of Health and Human Services position

Aaron Siri, a lawyer advising Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as he prepared to become health secretary, petitioned the Food and Drug Administration in 2022 to revoke approval of a polio vaccine that is used widely in the U.

Ahead of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings, experts—and RFK’s own family—expressed concerns about his vaccine-related views, though the same experts are largely unfazed by the level of power he and Marty Makary could ultimately wield over the FDA.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made claims during his Senate confirmation hearing on issues including vaccines, pesticides and Lyme disease. Some of them are missing context.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's choice to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies before the Senate Finance Committee during his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Credit: AP/Jose Luis Magana

If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees many of the country’s health agencies, from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Trump’s pick for health secretary showed a poor understanding of a key part of the job.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was pressed to clarify his views on vaccines, abortion, and public health priorities in his first Senate hearing.

RFK Jr. claimed he is not “anti-vaccine” and appeared unfamiliar with key aspects of healthcare insurance programs in his confirmation hearing.

In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first Senate confirmation hearing, the chaos at the NIH and with federal research funding, new dosages for an Alzheimer’s drug, a major tuberculosis outbreak, and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.

If approved, Kennedy will control a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees food and hospital inspections, hundreds of health clinics, vaccine recommendations and health insurance for roughly half the country.

Caroline Kennedy wrote a letter to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions strongly discouraging them from confirming her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary. Robert will be questioned by senators this week before being confirmed to President Donald Trump’s cabinet.