Missouri leaders can’t let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. direct our nation’s health policy | Opinion
If we want to protect the health of Missourians and our environment statewide, Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt must vote against the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment is a statewide, nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works to empower Missourians to protect their environment and health. MCE advocates for policies, regulations and other protections that afford Missourians the highest degree of safety and health now and for generations to come.
Much of the work we are able to do on a statewide level rests on the prudent implementation of national public health measures. We often use research and guidance from governmental offices such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration to inform our advocacy for environmental protection and public education on ecological matters. If appointed HHS Secretary, Kennedy would oversee these vital organizations, both managing their funding and wielding the authority to impact drug approvals, food safety standards, nutrition, disease surveillance, vaccination requirements and health care.
If Kennedy’s documented statements are to be believed, he plans on making agency staffing decisions based on individuals’ support for his preferred health care treatments. This sets a treacherous precedent, given his tendency to spread health-related disinformation.
Kennedy’s repeated publicizing of misinformation related to public and environmental health has caused significant harm. For instance, Kennedy has promulgated scientifically debunked, conspiratorial ideas regarding vaccines which have discouraged members of the public from receiving necessary immunizations. After a visit to Samoa in which Kennedy promoted anti-vaccination rhetoric, the U.S. territory saw an outbreak of measles that killed 83 people. Should Kennedy succeed in promoting anti-vaccination measures within the CDC, there is a risk of subsequent outbreaks of preventable diseases which would impact the health and well-being of Missourians and our food systems.
Kennedy has also sown doubt in beneficial public health measures while promoting false cures for illnesses. For instance, Kennedy opposes the scientifically lauded addition of fluoride to water supplies, yet supports hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as treatments for COVID-19 despite evidence against their efficacy. He has additionally promoted false and harmful race-based conspiracy theories regarding COVID-19 immunity. Given his public statements, Kennedy is likely to shift funding towards research and promotion of disproven health measures that he personally favors and away from necessary research to treat and prevent critical illnesses in the U.S.
Cabinet appointees bear crucial responsibility for the implementation of policies that impact the lives of Missourians. MCE frequently works with both representatives across the political spectrum on the local, statewide, and federal levels to protect clean air, water, sustainable food, conservation land, and public health. As such, we know that candidates qualified to oversee the implementation of public health policies can come from a multitude of backgrounds. However, Kennedy’s distrust of scientific experts and promotion of public health conspiracy theories should disqualify him as a HHS secretary candidate. Instead of Kennedy, we support the appointment of a qualified individual with significant experience in public health to lead the HHS, regardless of party affiliation. To continue our work fighting for Missourians, we cannot have a Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services who doubts rigorous science and promotes disinformation.