Dear Chairperson Crapo, Ranking Member Wyden, and Members of the Senate Finance Committee: 

SAFE Communities Coalition and tens of thousands of pro-vaccine advocates across the United States are strongly opposed to the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

We have helped citizens from every state send over 15,000 messages to the Senate in opposition to Mr. Kennedy’s appointment. Below are some of the points that those messages highlighted. We hope you will consider these before casting your vote.

Mr. Kennedy has a longstanding record of spreading vaccine misinformation and promoting anti-vaccine ideology. His beliefs are not only out of step with established science; they actively endanger public health by discouraging vaccine confidence, 

Mr. Kennedy has consistently put his personal profit motive over the health of American families. He’s made millions from biotech investments and lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers. During today’s meeting he refused to commit to severing this conflict of interest. We hope that the committee will investigate why he continues to repeat the lie that vaccine manufacturers are not subject to liability laws. He must know that’s not true; he is actively involved in lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers. Our health is too important to trust to a person whose personal profit motive requires that he undermine trust in public health.

Mr. Kennedy has repeatedly questioned vaccine safety despite overwhelming scientific evidence supporting vaccines as one of the safest and most effective public health tools. The number of false claims about vaccines he has amplified are too many to list on this letter, but here are some of the most egregious:

• Fear-mongered about a false link between the polio vaccine and cancer—a claim that has been thoroughly investigated, with all evidence showing it is false. 

• Repeatedly spread false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, including that they have killed children (they have not—COVID-19 has) and that they do not prevent infection and transmission. While no vaccine is 100% effective, COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to significantly reduce transmission and save millions of lives. 

• Maintained close ties with a lawyer who has petitioned the FDA to revoke approval of the polio vaccine and other childhood vaccines. 

• Repeatedly promoted the long-debunked conspiracy theory that vaccines cause autism, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.,

• Falsely claims that vaccines must be tested against inert placebos and insists that those without such testing should have their trials redone. This is both dangerous and unethical. Vaccines undergo rigorous testing, and using an inert placebo when a safe, effective vaccine exists would be akin to denying treatment in a cancer trial. Instead, the standard of care is always used, and when no vaccine exists, a placebo—though not always inert—may be used. 

The CDC, WHO, and every reputable health organization agree on the benefits of vaccination, which has saved millions of lives, but Mr. Kennedy will not acknowledge this. If confirmed, Mr. Kennedy could erode our public health infrastructure by undermining essential vaccination programs like Vaccines for Children (VFC) and the 317 Fund, which provide critical access to vaccines for uninsured and underinsured populations. Weakening these programs could reverse years of progress in disease prevention.

His dangerous record of denying science also threatens our ability to respond to emerging diseases of pandemic potential. Given the need for a swift, coordinated response to emerging infectious diseases, Mr. Kennedy’s history of denying vaccine science raises concerns about his ability to lead during public health emergencies. His influence may stymie vaccine innovation and limit our national capacity to respond effectively to future health crises.

Mr. Kennedy’s promotion of vaccine misinformation erodes trust in health professionals, public health agencies, and science itself. Appointing him could fuel the spread of disinformation, weaken confidence in proven interventions, and put vulnerable populations at risk.

As our nation continues to recover from the human and economic costs of pandemic disease, and as we experience the return of measles, chicken pox, and whooping cough, it’s essential that HHS be led by someone who prioritizes science, evidence-based policy, and public health integrity.

We urge you to stand with the pro-vaccine majority, healthcare professionals, and scientific communities in opposing this nomination. Our health, safety, and public trust depend on it.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to protecting public health.

Sincerely,

SAFE Communities Coalition