By Susan Lontine, executive director, and Stephanie James, PhD, board chair
President-Elect Trump has announced that he plans to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Given RFK Jr.ās long, egregious history of undermining science and promoting conspiracy theories, particularly regarding vaccines, this is not only a deeply troubling choice, but one that will undoubtedly put livesāincluding those of Coloradansāat risk.
HHS, the nationās top health agency, oversees several agencies including the CDC and the FDAātwo entities responsible for administering the nationās vaccine program, including authorizing vaccines, making vaccine schedule recommendations, and monitoring vaccine safety.
RFK Jr. is one of the most prominent vaccine conspiracy theorists in the country. He has no scientific background or training, but that hasnāt stopped him from amplifying claims that HIV doesnāt cause AIDS, antidepressants cause school shootings and chemicals in water are making kids gay and transgender. He is perhaps most infamous for promoting the false, fabricated claim that vaccines cause autism in children (dozens of studies have settled this claim and the science is clear: they donāt).
His nonprofit organization, Childrenās Health Defense, profited greatly during the pandemic, raking in over $23 million in 2022 by promoting junk science. In 2021, a Center for Countering Digital Hate report named him one of the top 12 spreaders of online vaccine disinformation. On a podcast released in 2023, he claimed that āthereās no vaccine thatās safe and effective.ā And in 2020, he came to Colorado to oppose a bill to standardize and strengthen the stateās school-required vaccine exemption process. Clearly, this is not the resume of a man who should be playing a role in making Americaās health decisions.
If appointed to head HHS, RFK Jr. could use his power to debilitate federal vaccine programs (like those that provide free vaccines to millions of uninsured kids and adults), attempt to roll back vaccine requirements in schools and hospitals, spread harmful vaccine disinformation, and further erode trust in vaccines and public health. This will open the doors for large outbreaks of dangerous diseases like measles and pertussis. There have already been triple the number of pertussis cases (544) in 2024 than in all of 2023 in Colorado. This would be especially detrimental for the most vulnerable people in our communities, like young babies, people with weak immune systems, and older adultsāthose who directly benefit from high vaccination rates and community immunity. In short, RFK Jr.ās appointment would threaten, not protect, Americaās health.
The benefits vaccines have afforded humanity are monumental. Over the past five decades, vaccines have saved over 154 million lives worldwide and prevented untold suffering. Between 1994 and 2021, the U.S.ās Vaccines for Children program has saved $2.2 trillion in society costs. And in Colorado, annual flu vaccination alone is estimated to save $68 million in hospital and emergency department visit costs. Vaccines are also thoroughly tested and constantly monitored for safety. In fact, we evaluate and monitor their safety more than we do for just about any other medication and certainly more than vitamins and supplements. Vaccination is already facing challenges, with rates declining since the pandemic. Only 88% of Coloradoās kindergarteners are current with measles vaccination, ranking the state 45th in the nation. The last thing
we need is the nationās top health official questioning vaccinesā safety, efficacy and importance based on false claims.
Our nationās leaders should work to build trust in healthcare, not undermine it. Even if RFK Jr. is ultimately not confirmed, his visibility as one of Trumpās appointees, and that of his unfounded claims, will have given vaccine conspiracy theories an even more pronounced national platform. The mistrust he has and will continue to sow will further erode public trust in vaccines and put Coloradansā lives directly at risk. Damage has already been done.
As leaders in immunization, we remain committed to fortifying our vaccine systems against misinformation, no matter where it comes from, and building public trust to ensure our Colorado communities stay safe and protected. We cannot relent in our efforts, and we know others will join us.
