RFK Jr. Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is quietly leading a government-backed investigation into his theory that vaccines may contribute to chronic diseases, including neurological and autoimmune disorders.
- The inquiry, prioritized by Kennedy, revisits controversial claims linking vaccines to autism and concerns about thimerosal, a preservative still present in some flu vaccines.
- Martin Kulldorff, the Health Department’s chief science and data officer and a known critic of Covid mandates, is heading the research with support from FDA and CDC scientists and federal contractors.
- The initiative has raised concerns among vaccine experts and critics who worry the findings could be used to undermine public confidence in vaccines, which have been credited with saving millions of lives globally.
- The effort remains largely confidential, with details shared only by insiders who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.