How vaccine policy is changing under RFK Jr.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been overhauling vaccine recommendations while sending mixed messages about vaccine safety and effectiveness.

RFK Jr., a well-known vaccine skeptic, pledged during his Senate confirmation not to alter vaccine policy or information on the agency’s website. However, since taking the helm at HHS, he has revised recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations for children and pregnant women, spread contradictory information about the measles vaccine during outbreaks, and removed the entire CDC vaccine advisory panel. He has also slashed funding for bird flu and mRNA vaccine research, which hold promise for preventing future pandemics and treating diseases such as cancer and HIV. 

In this episode, we’re joined by a leading local vaccine expert and a health reporter to explore the shifting recommendations and what the funding cuts mean for public health and future pandemic preparedness.

Guests:

Paul Offit – Director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics at University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine  

Lauren Weber – Health and Science accountability reporter for The Washington Post