His actions since January 2025 represent an assault on vaccine science, public trust, and global health, writes Dr Patrick Treacy
Dear Sir:
As a physician committed to the principles of evidence-based medicine, I am appalled by the catastrophic impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as US Health Secretary.
Dr Patrick Treacy
His actions since January 2025 represent an assault on vaccine science, public trust and global health. Far from upholding his Senate confirmation pledge to maintain scientific standards, Kennedy has systematically undermined the infrastructure that has saved 154 million lives over the past 50 years.
His position is not merely misguided—it is profoundly dangerous, with consequences that threaten both America and the world.
Eroding scientific integrity
Kennedy’s most alarming tactic is his rejection of settled science. By reopening debunked debates—such as the thoroughly discredited claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism, refuted by studies involving over 1.2 million children—he sows confusion and distrust. His attacks on vaccine ingredients like thimerosal and aluminium hydroxide, both supported by extensive peer-reviewed evidence for safety, are equally baseless.
His decision to ban thimerosal from all US vaccines, based on a presentation citing a non-existent study, exemplifies a reckless disregard for scientific rigour. As a physician, I find it unconscionable that a health secretary would prioritise misinformation over decades of robust data.
Dismantling oversight and expertise
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), once a bastion of independent expertise, has been gutted under Kennedy’s leadership. By disbanding its 17-member panel of vetted scientists and replacing them with anti-vaccine advocates, he has politicised a process designed to protect public health.
Banning respected scientific societies from advising ACIP further erodes checks and balances. These actions not only weaken US vaccine policy, but also set a precedent for ideological interference in science worldwide. The New England Journal of Medicine warned of a ‘seismic disruption’, and I share their grave concern.
Threatening access and innovation
Kennedy’s policies directly harm vulnerable populations. By reviewing ACIP recommendations for childhood vaccines, hepatitis B, and MMRV, he risks limiting coverage under public insurers like Medicaid, making vaccines unaffordable for low-income families.
His proposed changes to the Vaccine Compensation Programme, including baseless claims about autism, could deter manufacturers from supplying vaccines. His demand for unnecessary placebo-controlled trials for all vaccines, including modified versions, threatens to delay or halt critical boosters.
The withdrawal of Moderna’s COVID-flu vaccine application and the cancellation of £550 million in funding for bird flu, HIV, and cancer vaccine research signal a retreat from innovation that other nations may not fill.
Destabilising global health
Kennedy’s rhetoric, questioning the need for childhood vaccines and attacking medical journals like The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine as corrupt, undermines public trust at a time when vaccine uptake is already declining. His proposal for state-run journals over peer-reviewed outlets further erodes credibility.
This is not just a US problem—low vaccine coverage increases the risk of global outbreaks, as seen in recent measles cases in Canada. In the 19th century, preventable diseases cut US life expectancy to around 40 years. Kennedy’s actions risk dragging us back to that era.
A dangerous precedent
Kennedy’s ingenuity lies in avoiding outright bans while achieving the same effect through complex, obscure methods: dismantling oversight, spreading misinformation, and creating regulatory barriers.
This calculated approach is harder to counter publicly but no less devastating. As health secretary, he wields immense power to shape policy and perception, making his anti-science stance uniquely dangerous.
His claim that the medical establishment is corrupt dismisses the consensus built on rigorous evidence, threatening the foundation of modern medicine. The world cannot afford a Health Secretary who prioritises ideology over science. Kennedy’s actions are not just wrong—they are a public health catastrophe that endangers lives in America and beyond. As a physician, I urge swift action to restore evidence-based policy before irreversible damage is done.
Yours etc.
Dr Patrick Treacy
Medical Director
Ailesbury Clinics Ltd
