WASHINGTON – During a tense House committee hearing on Wednesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took a surprising stance on a subject that has defined much of his public persona: vaccines. Asked by Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, whether he would vaccinate his own child against measles today, Kennedy’s response stopped short of a clear endorsement.
“Probably for measles,” Kennedy said, before immediately qualifying his response. “What I would say is my opinions about vaccines are irrelevant.”
Kennedy, long known for promoting controversial and widely debunked views on vaccines, added, “I don’t want to seem like I am being evasive but I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.”
The comment sparked reactions from both sides of the political aisle, highlighting the ongoing tension between Kennedy’s public health role and his history of vaccine skepticism. For years, Kennedy has pushed claims linking certain vaccines to autism—claims that have been thoroughly discredited by the scientific community. In April, he again drew criticism after stating that measles vaccines are “leaky,” arguing that their effectiveness diminishes over time. Medical experts have dismissed that claim as misleading and unsupported by peer-reviewed research.
During Wednesday’s hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Pocan pushed Kennedy further, asking if he would also vaccinate his children against chickenpox and polio. Kennedy sidestepped the question, reiterating that he does not want to be seen as offering medical guidance.
“That’s kind of your jurisdiction because CDC does give advice,” Pocan responded, pointing to the responsibility of the Department of Health and Human Services in shaping national public health messaging.
Kennedy replied, “What we’re trying to do is to lay out the pros and cons, the risks and benefits accurately as we understand them, with replicable studies.”
Kennedy’s ambiguity stood in sharp contrast to his earlier comments during his Senate confirmation hearing in January, when he clearly stated, “All of my kids are vaccinated.” That statement appeared to reassure some lawmakers at the time that, despite his past advocacy, Kennedy might take a more conventional stance in his new role.
Yet the contradiction between what Kennedy says he has done personally and what he’s willing to recommend publicly raises questions about how he plans to lead a department tasked with protecting the nation’s health. Critics argue that his reluctance to strongly advocate for routine childhood immunizations undercuts public trust, particularly as misinformation continues to spread online.
Kennedy’s ties to vaccine-skeptic circles remain a concern for many in the medical and scientific communities. In December, it was revealed that one of his allies, attorney Aaron Siri, filed a petition in 2022 seeking to revoke FDA approval of a polio vaccine for children. At the time, Kennedy told senators he was “all for” the polio vaccine, distancing himself from the effort.
As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy now oversees agencies like the CDC and FDA—institutions that play a critical role in ensuring vaccine safety and public health. His comments this week may have been intended to defuse partisan tension, but they have only reignited debate over his fitness for the role.
With vaccine-preventable diseases still posing a threat, especially among communities with low immunization rates, Kennedy’s reluctance to take a firm public stance on vaccines could have consequences far beyond the walls of Congress.
