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President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F Kennedy Jr as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). It drew attention to Kennedy’s past remarks on health issues, especially with Trump saying earlier that he would let the former Democrat "go wild" with "medicine". As a result, his past remarks on COVID-19, vaccinations, pharmaceuticals and other issues are back in focus.
Here is a list of debunked or controversial claims made by the 70-year-old.
1. Prescription Drugs Cause Mass-Shootings
Kennedy blamed prescription drugs for mass shootings, particularly antidepressants like Prozac. In a discussion with Elon Musk, he said school shootings were virtually nonexistent before Prozac’s introduction, a claim disputed by health experts. Plus, there is no scientific studies linking prescription drugs to shootings.
2. Vaccines Cause Autism
Kennedy’s views on vaccine policy have raised substantial concerns within the public health community. He has previously alleged that vaccines, specifically those containing the preservative thimerosal, may contribute to autism, a claim debunked by the CDC, WHO and other health organizations.
3. COVID-19 Affects Ethnic Groups Differently
In July 2024, RFK Jr. was seen in a video published by the New York Post talking about the vaccine policy at a dinner table. He claimed COVID-19 disproportionately targets Caucasians and Black people, while people of Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese heritage supposedly exhibit more immunity.
4. US Funding "Ethnically Targeted Microbes" Projects
In the same video from the dinner, RFK Jr went on to allege that the US was funding projects involving “ethnically targeted microbes” – or a form of biological weapon that would affect certain ethnic communities. He alleged that there were labs in Ukraine studying Russian and Chinese DNA for potential targeting.
Also read: ‘Polio, Measles’ Memes Flood Social Media After ‘Anti-Vax’ RFK Jr. Tapped For HHS Secretary
5. Anthony Fauci-Bill Gates Vaccine Controversy
Robert F. Kennedy Jr has frequently lashed out at Anthony Fauci, the former chief health advisor to President Joe Biden, over the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine policies. He also wrote a book accusing Fauci of conspiring with Bill Gates and pharmaceutical companies to sell vaccines to the public. The book is called, 'The Real Anthony Fauci.'
6. Voter Fraud Allegations Against George W Bush
In a 2006 Rolling Stone article, Kennedy, then a Democrat, claimed he was “convinced” that former President George W Bush won the 2004 election due to voter fraud. The Democratic Party’s own investigation in 2005 found no evidence of such fraud.
7. CIA Involved In His Uncle's Killing
RFK Jr has maintained that the CIA played a role in the 1963 assassination of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy. The claim has been debunked by the Warren Commission, which was constituted to probe the former president's assassination. The commission concluded that the shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, acted alone.