Reactions are pouring in from healthcare groups following the news that President-elect Donald Trump has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS. While some industry groups have expressed optimism about Mr. Kennedy's appointment, others are voicing concern, surrounding how his views of vaccines may affect public health.
In a Truth Social post shared by Mr. Trump, he stated: "For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to public health. Mr. Kennedy will restore these agencies to the traditions of gold standard scientific research, and beacons of transparency, to end the chronic disease epidemic, and to make America great and healthy again!"
Before assuming the role, Mr. Kennedy will need to undergo a Senate confirmation hearing. During this process, lawmakers will have the opportunity to assess his qualifications and stance on key issues.
The nomination of Mr. Kennedy to the top health post has sparked significant reactions in the pharmaceutical sector. Shares of vaccine makers like Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax saw sharp declines following the Nov. 14 announcement, with Moderna's stock closing more than 5% lower, Novavax dropping more than 7% and Pfizer's ending more than 2% lower, according to a Nov. 15 NBC News report.
Here are responses from eight healthcare groups, public health experts and reports of federal employee step downs at the FDA. Responses are listed in alphabetical order.
The American Health Association expressed a willingness to collaborate with the new administration on healthcare priorities. In an email shared with Becker's, an American Health Association spokesperson stated: "The AHA has congratulated President-elect Trump and look forward to working with his Administration on our priorities as he continues to assemble his cabinet."
Georges Benjamin, MD. Executive director of the American Public Health Association: In a Nov. 15 interview with BBC Newsday, Dr. Benjamin denounced Mr. Kennedy's qualifications for the role. He pointed to Mr. Kennedy's claims questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines, warning that his appointment could present serious risks to public health, especially if another pandemic were to occur.
"He is not competent by training, management skills, temperament or trust to have this job, " Dr. Benjamin told the news outlet. "He is really just a person without a health background who's already caused great damage in health in the country."
Douglas Hoey. CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association: "We are eager to work with him and his team to educate them about how one of the country's most important public health assets — the 19,000 independent pharmacies across the country — are in great jeopardy because of the unfair, anticompetitive business practices of PBMs and insurers."
Benjamin Hoffman, MD, President of the American Academy of Pediatrics: "The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers an important opportunity to share the settled science on vaccines with government leaders, policymakers and the American public. This is a conversation pediatricians have every day with families, and we welcome the chance to do the same with national leaders. Vaccines have been an invaluable part of the fabric of our society for decades and are one of the most significant medical innovations of our time. Vaccines are the safest and most cost-effective way to protect children, families and communities from disease, disability and death. Continuing national investment in vaccine access is absolutely essential to support healthy communities. Vaccinations prepare children's immune systems to recognize and respond to serious diseases, helping them stay healthy so they can learn, grow and thrive. Immunization prepares children for long-term health, well-being and development into adulthood. HHS oversees programs and implements policies that are so important to infants, children and adolescents, from Medicaid to child welfare to immunizations. Nearly half of all children in the United States rely on Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program for their health care, making this process and the policies that flow from HHS leadership critical to children across the country. HHS's motto is 'Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America.' This is a tall order, but a crucial and achievable one. As pediatricians, we firmly believe the most effective way for HHS to ensure the future health of our nation is to protect and support the health of our children: by ensuring that science continues to underpin all decision-making, policies and programs."
Ashish Jha, MD. Dean of Brown University's School of Public Health in Providence, R.I., and former COVID response coordinator at the White House: "This is an extraordinarily bad choice for the health of the American people," he wrote in a Nov. 14 post on X. "The HHS Secretary shapes health policy in profound ways. He would oversee Medicare for instance — and determine and shape your parents and grandparents health insurance.
"He and people he appoints would oversee the agency that decides what medicines are available to the American people. His ideas may sound good on bumper stickers but are unserious and often downright harmful.
"Our healthcare system is far from perfect. But it has spurred so much progress that has benefitted the American people. This appointment, if confirmed, puts all of that at risk."
Tina Tan, MD. President of the Infectious Diseases Society of America: In a Nov. 15 interview with Medscape regarding Mr. Kennedy's appointment, Dr. Tan said the group "supports a comprehensive vetting and confirmation process for any nominee charged with protecting and promoting the nation's health."
Stephen Ubl. President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America: "The men and women in our industry wake up every day focused on improving public health and treating the most devastating diseases affecting patients. Biopharmaceutical innovation has made tremendous progress in the fight against disease – dramatically improving cancer survival rates, curing hepatitis C, and eliminating devastating diseases like polio and smallpox.
"This industry is a crown jewel of the American economy, giving American patients more medicine choices than anywhere else in the world and supporting millions of high-paying, high-tech jobs around the country.
"We want to work with the Trump administration to further strengthen our innovation ecosystem and improve health care for patients.
"Our industry has long argued the U.S. must do more to address the growing epidemic of chronic disease, which is the biggest driver of health care spending. This will require a comprehensive strategy that includes focusing more on prevention and early intervention; promoting health and wellness; and developing new treatments and cures.
"Medicines only work if patients can access them. That’s why policymakers also need to address the misaligned incentives in the system that let insurers, PBMs and large hospital systems pad their profits while forcing patients to pay more than they should for their medicines.
"Finally, we must fix the flaws in the so-called Inflation Reduction Act that are undermining our world-leading innovation ecosystem and have already resulted in higher premiums, fewer plan choices and more frustrating insurance denials for Medicare patients."
FDA staff response: Some staff members at the FDA are reportedly considering leaving the agency due to concerns over Mr. Kennedy's potential HHS appointment, NBC News reported Nov. 14. According to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, including three former and one current government official, the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Kennedy's influence over federal health agencies is driving some FDA employees to consider early retirement or job changes.
In a post-election interview, Mr. Kennedy stated that certain departments, such as the FDA's nutrition division, "needed to go."
Mr. Kennedy's long-standing skepticism about vaccine safety and efficacy, including controversial claims linking vaccines to autism, has raised significant concerns among public health experts. CDC director Richard Besser spoke with ABC's This Week calling Mr. Kennedy "cruel" for continuing to push theories that vaccines can cause autism and said he considered his nomination to be dangerous stating "lives are at stake here," according to a Politico report.
Mr. Kennedy founded the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense and took leave from the group in 2023 to campaign for president.