Trump picks vaccine-skeptic Kennedy to run US health department - what experts say
Former president Trump chose RFK Jr to lead Health and Human Services department‚ raising questions about US healthcare future. Experts and politicians share mixed thoughts about this non-standard pick
Yesterday Donald Trump made a non-standard pick for Health and Human Services top job choosing Robert F Kennedy Jr‚ whoʼs known for his eco-activism and non-traditional views on health issues
The announcement got quick feedback from health-care pros. Dr Ashwin Vasan from NYC pointed to possible risks:
There are aspects of our health that only work when weʼre doing things together; what Iʼm hearing heʼs interested in tearing down that infrastructure
Bio-tech expert Dave Latshaw II thinks this choice dont match with Trumps other moves to make government work better (he picked Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy for that job). Market players see risks for companies working on new-type medicines
Senator Patty Murray shared her worries about public health:
- Impact on healthcare access
- Changes to research programs
- Effect on vaccine trust
- Problems with health coverage
Minnesota disease expert Dr Michael Osterholm notes that good science-based choices are key for keeping people healthy — from babies to grown-ups
Health policy pro Drew Altman says its a big change from past picks: “The real question is will he run all parts of HHS or just focus on his pet topics“‚ while Senator Ron Wyden thinks the choice might lead to higher costs and less protection for pre-existing conditions
