RFK Jr. questions vaccine safety at anti-vaccine organization gathering

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. returned to his anti-vaccine group, the Children's Health Defense, on Thursday to share his concerns about vaccine safety. As Health Secretary, Kennedy addressed a gathering in Washington, D.C., questioning the safety of routine childhood vaccines and suggesting a potential link between vaccines and chronic illnesses. He accused the federal government of negligence in vaccine safety, despite decades of scientific evidence supporting their safety.

Kennedy assured the audience that President Trump remains fully committed to the cause, describing Trump as "fully committed" to his efforts to strengthen vaccine safety, expand options for families who desire them, and preserve individual choice without federal mandates. Kennedy acknowledged the lengthy and laborious process in government, explaining that while he would have changed things on day one, it would have been short-lived and would have led to his departure.

Despite the lack of scientific consensus on vaccine safety, Kennedy expressed confidence in his department's ongoing efforts to study vaccine safety, including cumulative effects, longer-term health outcomes, adjuvant safety, and many other issues. However, experts like Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, expressed little confidence in the veracity of any studies or initiatives spearheaded by Kennedy's department.