General Discussion

pat_k

(13,757 posts)

3. And then we have RFK, Jr.

Sat May 2, 2026, 03:05 AM

Saturday

As per AI (Gemini). Apply whatever grains of salt you apply to all AI:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) has officially stated that he supports the polio vaccine and has no intention of taking it away from the public. However, his actions and the actions of his close advisors have led to significant public health concerns:

Legal Challenges to Vaccine Approval: A prominent lawyer and advisor to RFK Jr., Aaron Siri, filed a petition with the FDA in late 2024 to revoke approval for IPOL, a standalone polio vaccine used in the U.S., claiming it lacked sufficient placebo-controlled testing.

Advisory Panel Scrutiny: Kirk Milhoan, whom RFK Jr. appointed to lead a panel of independent vaccine advisors, has publicly questioned the current necessity of the polio vaccine, suggesting that modern sanitation might mitigate the risk enough to re-evaluate its use.

Cutting Global Funding: As Health Secretary in 2025, RFK Jr. announced a cut of over $1 billion in U.S. funding for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an organization that provides polio and measles vaccines to low-income countries.