HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

Two agencies overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are embracing vaccine skepticism, which experts warn could lead to widespread illness and death.

Kennedy, who became Secretary of Health and Human Services on Feb. 13, has promoted anti-vaccine conspiracy theories for decades, including disproven claims that vaccines cause autism and other neurological conditions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) manages 11 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which monitors public health, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds medical research.

On March 7, the CDC announced that it was launching a large-scale study into possible links between vaccines and autism, specifically in children. HHS said in a statement that autism rates were skyrocketing and the CDC would “leave no stone unturned” in finding out why.

But extensive research has already debunked any link between vaccines and autism, and the vast majority of medical experts agree no such correlation exists. The increase in autism diagnoses is typically attributed to improved detection and screening, meaning more cases are being identified rather than an actual rise in prevalence.

A few days later, the Washington Post reported that the NIH was cutting grants for research into why some people avoid vaccines and how to increase vaccination rates.

Both announcements come at a perilous time: a measles outbreak in New Mexico and Texas has created a public health emergency in the southwestern United States. The crisis is the direct result of parents failing to vaccinate their children against the lethal virus, which causes fluid build-up in the lungs and swelling of the brain.

Kennedy wrote in a March 2 op-ed that ending the measles outbreak was a top priority. He encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, but also stressed that vaccines were a “personal choice” and made the dubious claim that vitamin A supplements could treat measles.

A 2024 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that less than 93% of kindergarteners had received all of their state-required vaccines. This is below the 95% rate that the CDC says is necessary to prevent community transmissions of preventable illnesses.

There were 16 measles outbreaks in 2024. There were only four in 2023.

Kennedy’s actions have not been limited to childhood vaccines. Last month, he cancelled an advisory meeting on the composition of next year’s flu shot and threatened to revoke funding for the development of a bird flu vaccine.

An HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.