RFK Jr.’s vaccine injury clinic could damage NIH hospital, board warns

Key Points:

• Jack Leslie, chair of the NIH Clinical Center Research Hospital's advisory board, publicly criticized Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for his anti-vaccine activities, warning they could damage the hospital's reputation as a trusted research institution.
• Leslie condemned Kennedy's surprise ribbon-cutting event for a new vaccine injury clinic, which featured patients labeled as "vaccine injured," arguing the event was politically charged and undermined scientific impartiality.
• The NIH already conducts longstanding research on vaccine safety, and Kennedy's clinic is a new protocol under review without additional funding or space, contrary to the impression given at the ceremony.
• Leslie emphasized that while vaccine injuries are rare and should be taken seriously, research must remain unbiased to maintain public trust, warning that Kennedy's approach risks politicizing the hospital's work and eroding confidence.
• The advisory board unanimously endorsed Leslie's statement, affirming the importance of maintaining scientific integrity and public trust in NIH research efforts.