After Trump's win, RFK Jr. says he won't 'take away anyone's vaccines'

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who could play a key role overseeing public health issues in a second Trump administration, said Wednesday that he will not “take vaccines away from anyone.”

When asked in an interview with NBC News if there were any specific vaccines he would take off the market, Kennedy rejected the notion that he was “anti-vaccination,” despite his repeated claims that vaccines are linked to autism – and his involvement with Children's Health Defense, a leading anti-vaccine group. He reiterated that he would not take them away from the Americans.

He will meet with senior Trump aides on Wednesday to discuss his future role. Kennedy said they had not yet decided what his role would be in the new administration, but he did not rule out the position of secretary of Health and Human Services and also floated the idea of ​​becoming a “White House health care czar.” .

“If vaccines work for someone, I won’t take them away. People should have a choice, and that choice should be based on the best information,” he said. “That’s why I will ensure that there are scientific studies on safety and effectiveness and that people can judge individually whether the product is good for them.”

Three days before the election, Trump had not ruled out banning certain vaccines. “Well, I'll talk to him (Kennedy) and other people and make a decision, but he's a very talented guy and has strong views,” Trump told NBC News.

Jennifer Kates, director of the Global Health & HIV Policy Program at KFF, a health policy research group, said even if Trump wanted to ban vaccines, it was unlikely he would have the power to do so, adding that it was not the federal government but States have the authority to mandate or restrict vaccinations.

However, Trump could change the process for determining which vaccines are recommended for insurance coverage, including those on the routine childhood vaccination schedule, Kates said. Insurers base their coverage on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

“If RFK or others in a Trump administration question or reject this evidence, try to change this system, or otherwise pressure states to make different decisions, it could sow confusion and doubt, leading to lower requirements and ultimately lead to the already declining vaccination rates of children,” said Kates.

Asked about his warnings about the Covid vaccines that were fast-tracked and approved during the pandemic, Kennedy said he said at the time that the shots would not prevent transmission.

“I knew in May 2020 that the vaccines wouldn't protect against transmission because I actually read the monkey studies,” Kennedy said, adding that while he wouldn't have “blocked it outright,” he said, “I'll be honest.” the public about the vaccines to ensure it is based on the best science. “There was no effort to do that at the time.”

Kennedy said Trump had tasked him in a second administration with cleaning up federal corruption, returning agencies to “the gold standard of science, empirically based evidence” and “ending the chronic disease epidemic.” For example, he said he would address the ingredients in American foods that are “illegal in Europe and other countries” and are “making our children sick.”

He said he would crack down on corruption by firing departments of federal employees he believes didn't do their jobs – in some cases even “entire departments.” Kennedy said the Food and Drug Administration's nutrition divisions “have to go” because their employees are “not doing their jobs.”

“They are not protecting our children. “Why in this country do we have Fruit Loops with 18 or 19 ingredients and in Canada we have two or three,” he said.

Kennedy also expressed concern about fluoride in the nation's water supply. Major health groups praise fluoridated water, pointing to studies showing it reduces tooth decay by at least 25%.

He said that while he would not force the removal, he would inform water districts “of their legal responsibilities” to protect citizens. Major medical groups support water fluoridation, saying it is safe and has benefits.

Asked what it was like to be a Kennedy at a Republican victory party at the White House on Tuesday night, he said: “Unusual. I never thought I would be here.” Kennedy said he decided to support Trump because the two men believed they were stronger together.

“Essentially he said to me, 'Let's unite our parties, because the landscapes on which we agree are much larger than the issues on which we disagree,'” Kennedy said.

Vaughn Hillyard reported from West Palm Beach and Rebecca Shabad from New York.