Following the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by President-elect Donald Trump, Dr. Peter Marks, the top vaccines official at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has stated that he is open to having a positive conversation with the incoming secretary.
“I would ask him to keep an open mind,” Dr. Marks said, underscoring the significance of adopting an open-minded approach. We are pleased to present as much of the data as possible. And in some instances, I believe the data is really overwhelming, but we’ll just need to have the conversation.”
Kennedy, who is well-known for holding critical opinions about vaccine safety, has promised not to outright ban vaccines but rather to increase openness about vaccine safety data. Dr. Marks adamantly refuted his accusation that HHS officials were hiding important information, saying, “There are no secret files. I mean, I have a security clearance if they’re secret. They must be classified at a different level if they are hidden from me.
Kennedy’s history of raising doubts about the safety of vaccines has alarmed public health professionals, who worry that immunization campaigns against fatal diseases may suffer as a result. Kennedy’s nomination was compared by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to “putting a Flat Earther at the head of NASA.”
Dr. Marks, who played a pivotal role in the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed during the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledged the challenges of revisiting established vaccine efficacy debates. He cautioned that such discussions could undermine other critical FDA initiatives and erode public confidence in vaccines, especially during future pandemics.
However, Dr. Marks also recognized a potential positive outcome from engaging with Kennedy, suggesting that public discussions might help bridge divides and foster greater understanding among the American populace.
