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By Hanna Webster, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) It wasn’t a surprise when President-elect Donald Trump announced his plan to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services , but the news put many in the medical community on alert — watching to see how the nominee’s rhetoric will affect his approach to leading the key federal agency. The enormity of the new role — the HHS secretary oversees 13 federal agencies and their combined $1.7 trillion budget — will hand over a significant amount of responsibility for the nation’s health to Kennedy, who has limited applicable experience in the field and a history of promoting debunked health conspiracy theories as well as being a vaccine skeptic. Concern over Kennedy’s statements about vaccines has already begun to stir opposition to the appointment. Nearly 14,000 physicians have signed a petition objecting to the nominee. The petition, led by a nonprofit, The Committee to Protect Health Care, has a goal of 15,000 signatures. “Many physicians are looking at this and thinking, ‘We’re going to watch the destruction of the public health system,’” said Alice Rothchild, a Seattle-based retired ob-gyn who was one of those to sign. While public questioning of Western science, pharmaceutical industries and even vaccines is certainly not new, the spotlight placed on those who oppose vaccines has grown brighter in recent years — especially as the COVID-19 pandemic became politicized and public health measures, like social distancing and masking, received criticism among some groups. And as trust in science declines, some are turning toward fringe beliefs, many that RFK Jr. himself has supported, such as trusting herd immunity over vaccination or experimental and debunked treatments like ivermectin. Why was RFK Jr. chosen? In a Nov. 14 emailed statement announcing the nomination, Trump said the Department of Health and Human Services plays an important role in ensuring the health of the nation, including “that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming health crisis in this country. “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 !” The statement seems to suggest that Trump chose Kennedy explicitly because of his nontraditional approaches. Is RFK Jr. equipped for the role of health secretary? George Benjamine, a physician and the executive director of the American Public Health Association, responded with a Nov. 18 statement that Kennedy “fails on all fronts” to effectively lead HHS. Certainly, it’s a big job. The nation’s health secretary is in charge of preparing for and responding to medical and public health emergencies, such as circulating infectious diseases. The position also controls funding to agencies under the HHS umbrella, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health, the latter of which oversees thousands of clinical trials and the research and development of drug treatments. The Senate will vote on many of Trump’s cabinet nominees once the new president is sworn in. Historically, it is rare for nominees to be rejected. More: What are brain worms and how could RFK Jr. have gotten one? A half-dozen medical experts interviewed for this story pointed to Kennedy’s dogged criticism of vaccines throughout his career, including falsely stating that vaccines cause autism. The one paper that had linked MMR vaccines to autism was retracted by the journal that published it 12 years later, and the scientist was stripped of his medical license after results were found to be fraudulent and fabricated. Other debunked health claims made by Kennedy include that human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is not the cause for AIDS, and that raw milk is safe to drink. While it is sold in Pennsylvania , the FDA has stated that raw milk is not safe because it may contain dangerous bacteria that are typically killed during the pasteurization process. Requests for comment on Kennedy’s nomination from members of the GOP Doctors Caucus, including former co-chair house Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Brian Babin (R-Tex.) and John Joyce (R-Pa.), were not returned. In a Nov. 15 post on X, Harris congratulated Kennedy on the nomination and said he looked forward to working with him “in the fight to reform nutritious foods.” Spokespeople for Kennedy did not respond to requests for comment. But many of those with concerns aren’t shy about raising their issues. “This is a time when we need the highest level of competence possible at HHS,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and a professor of pediatrics and molecular biology, who has spent his career developing vaccines for tropical diseases. Hotez has communicated with Kennedy directly over the years, he said, as the two have been embroiled in online debates. “From my experience with him, he doesn’t have any interest in the science. He has trouble understanding the science, and he comes to the table with preconceived and dug-in notions,” Dr. Hotez said. “I don’t see him willing to adapt.” Where does RFK Jr. stand on other key health issues? Kennedy has spent his career as an environmental lawyer and has defended against large corporations including Monsanto, which seems to have informed his promises to focus on environmental exposure to chemicals, food additives and chronic disease. Among the positions that he has advocated for are removing artificial dye from foods and ending fluoride in water supplies. The European Union bans some food additives that are allowed in the U.S. and requires warning labels on many artificial dyes — although research indicates that fluoride doesn’t fall in that category. In cities where water is fluoridated, it has been shown to protect against dental decay. Kennedy has also criticized ultraprocessed foods, and chemicals such as high-fructose corn syrup, calling them culprits for record-high obesity rates and chronic disease, stances many physicians believe he is right to criticize. Is a medical background needed for the job? Many past HHS secretaries have not had medical backgrounds, although they often had experience overseeing large organizations and hefty budgets. Tommy Thompson, HHS secretary between 2001 and 2005, was governor of Wisconsin for nearly two decades and chair of the National Governors Association. Alex Azar, in the role from 2018 to 2021, had been president of the U.S. division of global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, as well as general counsel and deputy secretary to the health secretary over many years. What’s unprecedented about Kennedy’s nomination is that he is “a person who avowedly wants to destroy one of humans’ greatest inventions: vaccines,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based physician and senior scholar with Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Epidemiologists are especially worried about Kennedy’s penchant for sowing distrust in vaccine research . “His role there is not going to be to promote health, but to destroy health,” said Adalja. “We have the exact opposite of what you would want in a health secretary in RFK Jr.” Kennedy has stated in the past that, if he were in this role, he would fire hundreds of scientists, remove entire departments and divert attention and resources away from infectious disease research. “We’re going to take a break from infectious disease for about eight years,” he said at an anti-vaccine conference in Georgia in 2023, NBC reported. Kennedy started the foundation Children’s Health Defense in 2018, a nonprofit that states, according to its website, to “restore and protect the health of children by eliminating environmental exposures, holding responsible parties accountable, and establishing safeguards to prevent future harm of children’s health.” The Instagram and Facebook accounts of the nonprofit were temporarily banned in August 2022 for posting misinformation about vaccines. More on politics After disavowing Project 2025, Trump hires people who worked on it Judge delays sentencing Trump for his hush-money case conviction Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws Incumbent Bob Casey concedes Pennsylvania Senate race to Dave McCormickANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Vladislov Goldin and Nimari Burnett scored 17 points apiece and Tre Donaldson and Danny Wolf posted double-doubles to lead Michigan to a 112-64 romp over Western Kentucky on Sunday night, snapping a six-game win streak for the Hilltoppers. Goldin made 7 of 8 shots with two 3-pointers and 1 of 2 free throws for the Wolverines (10-3), whose three losses this season have been by a combined five points. Burnett did most of his damage on 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Donaldson totaled 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, while Wolf finished with 12 points and 10 boards for his sixth of the season. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited his Assembly constituency, Ganderbal, on Saturday to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of snowfall, officials said. Abdullah visited his constituency to assess the situation first-hand and monitor the district administration's efforts to provide relief to people, they added. ET Year-end Special Reads Take That: The gamechanger weapon's India acquired in 2024 10 big-bang policy moves Modi government made in 2024 How governments tried to rein in the social media beast The officials said the chief minister paid an unannounced visit to the district hospital to assess its preparedness in providing healthcare services. He interacted with the hospital staff as well as patients and their attendants, and emphasised the importance of ensuring uninterrupted medical services, the officials said. They said the chief minister also enquired about the heating arrangements at the hospital, and the availability of staff, essential medicines and other facilities. Later, he visited the mini-secretariat complex and took stock of the situation across the Union Territory from the deputy commissioner's office at Ganderbal, the officials said. 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He directed the officers to take swift action to ensure uninterrupted essential services after the snowfall, the officials said. Talking to reporters in Ganderbal, Abdullah said he visited Ganderbal to ensure that people do not face much hardships due to the snow. "I wanted to ensure that the snow-clearance operations on roads were sped up and electricity was restored wherever the lines were snapped. I also wanted to take stock of hospital and essential services," he said. The chief minister said he is monitoring the situation in other districts of the valley as well. "There are places where electricity has been affected due to snowfall and that would be restored by Saturday evening. Efforts are also on to clear the roads that are blocked due to snow," he said. Asked about the restoration of water supply in certain areas, the chief minister said wherever the supply can be restored immediately, it would be done, and wherever it would take time, water tankers would be made available. 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BMP wants smooth gas supply to local, export industry throughout winterBEIJING: China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday announced its decision to take countermeasures against seven US military companies and relevant senior executives over recent military assistance and arms sales to China’s Taiwan region. Recently, the US announced another substantial package of military assistance and arms sales to China’s Taiwan region. Its “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025” includes multiple negative sections concerning China. These seriously violate the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, interfere in China’s internal affairs, and undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to the Foreign Ministry’s announcement. Pursuant to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 15 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Countering Foreign Sanctions, China hereby decides to take the countermeasures against seven companies: Insitu, Inc., Hudson Technologies Co., Saronic Technologies, Inc., Raytheon Canada, Raytheon Australia, Aerkomm Inc. and Oceaneering International, Inc., and relevant senior executives, according to the statement. Their movable and immovable properties, and other kinds of assets within China shall be frozen. All organizations and individuals within China shall be prohibited from engaging in transaction, cooperation and other activities with them, read the statement. This decision will come into force from December 27, 2024, according to the Foreign Ministry. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference on Friday that seeking “Taiwan independence” is bound to fail. What the US has done to assist the “Taiwan independence” attempt by arming Taiwan will only backfire. Its relevant act containing negative articles on China is filled with Cold War zero-sum mentality and ideological bias. Without factual basis, the US plays up the “China threat” narrative, trumpets for military support to Taiwan and finds pretext for increasing military expenditure and maintaining hegemony, which disrupts regional peace and stability, said Mao. We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions in the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Communiqué of 1982, immediately stop arming Taiwan in any form, view China’s development and China-US relationship objectively and rationally, not to implement these negative articles concerning China and stop wrong words and deeds that harm China’s interests. China will continue to take all measures necessary to firmly safeguard our sovereignty, security and development interests, said Mao. China’s countermeasures against US military-industrial companies and their executives express a firm stance – China strongly opposes any violation of the three China-US joint communiqués through arms sales to Taiwan region and actions that undermine its national interests and threaten peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, Li Zhenguang, deputy director at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University, told the Global Times on Friday. As the US prepares for the presidential transition, China’s countermeasures also serve as a reminder of the redline on China-US relations to the US side and to American companies of their responsibilities in managing ties with Taiwan island, said Li, adding that the US side should avoid destabilizing the Taiwan Straits and refrain from actions that undermine China-US relations. Recently, different departments and ministries in China respectively refuted the US’ signing into law of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 and its content related to China’s Taiwan region. For example, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press conference on Wednesday that Taiwan is China’s Taiwan, and that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affairs that will not tolerate any external interference. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
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