Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a series of inaccurate claims about vaccines during a Fox News appearance Thursday.
Kennedy claimed that “97% of the people on the [CDC vaccine advisory] committee had conflicts of interest,” that children receive “between 69 and 92” mandatory vaccines, and that “none of them have been safety tested” — aside from the COVID-19 vaccine. He also asserted that vaccines are designed to “deregulate” the immune system, linking them to an “epidemic of chronic disease.”
Dr. Jake Scott, a doctor specializing in infectious disease and associate professor at Stanford Medical School, issued a detailed rebuttal on social media, accusing Kennedy of spreading “egregious, dangerous falsehoods” and backing up his criticism with data from peer-reviewed studies and CDC records.
“Fox News might not fact-check him, but I will,” Scott wrote. “I’ve reviewed the trials. I’ve catalogued them. I have receipts.”
Scott went claim by claim.
Kennedy said 97% of CDC vaccine committee members had conflicts of interest, but didn’t cite where he obtained that figure. Scott refuted the claim, sharing findings from a Reuter’s investigation which found that while 41% of members received a form of industry payment, it was mostly in small sums for travel or meals. Furthermore, the CDC has stringent guidelines in place requiring recusals for any conflicts.
Even the Fox anchor commented that Kennedy’s claim that children now receive between 69 and 92 mandatory vaccines sounded quite high. It was disputed by Scott as well, who noted that vaccine mandates are set by states, and most states mandate slightly over 30 immunizations.
Regarding Kennedy’s claim that no vaccines other than the Covid vaccine have gone through placebo-controlled trials, Scott said, “One of the most misleading claims I’ve ever seen a government official make on national television.” He went on to link to a database that contains 164 placebo-controlled vaccine trials, and specified at least one example for every routine childhood vaccine.
Kennedy said, “Nobody has any idea what the risk profiles are on these products,” which Scott countered, noting that 90% of vaccine studies include safety outcome reports, and listing four methods of post-licensure safety monitoring. He cited three instances where safety issues with vaccines were discovered and acted upon.
Finally, Scott dismissed Kennedy’s claim that “vaccines deregulate the immune system.”
“This isn’t science; it’s a scary-sounding buzzword,” Scott wrote. “Vaccines don’t ‘deregulate’ anything. They educate the immune system through targeted antigen exposure so it can defend against real pathogens later.”
Scott emphasized that while no medical intervention is risk-free, the evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety and public health benefits of routine childhood immunizations.
“As a father of two, I’m extremely grateful,” he added, citing dramatic drops in child deaths and disease since the introduction of vaccines like Hib, hepatitis B, and rotavirus.
Kennedy’s comments have drawn condemnation from health experts and lawmakers alike, with many warning that misinformation of this nature could further erode trust in lifesaving vaccines.
Originally published on Latin Times
