I am baffled by the news that president elect Trump has put forth Robert F Kennedy Jr as his pick for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. This department of the US Government oversees the insurance industry, public health, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and NIH (National Institute of Health, a research institution), as well as our influence in global health initiatives and many other endeavors.

Usually, I think of this role as perfect for someone who knows how to run a large organization, has any sort of scientific training, and at least has worked in the health care industry. In fact, there are many MD’s with MBA’s who have run large organizations or public health agencies who could be tapped for this role.

Instead he picked a conspiracy theory collector and promoter who has made the following baseless claims:

• Wifi causes cancer and “leaky brain” (a more permeable blood-brain barrier)
• Antidepressants cause school shootings
• Chemicals in water can lead to transgender children
• AIDS may not be caused by HIV
• Vaccines cause autism and do not protect you from disease
• Fluorinated drinking water causes poor health*

As a primary care provider, I am appalled. Vaccines and fluorinated drinking water are literally the foundation of public health success in the last century, along with an array of other interventions that have led to improved lives around the world. Scientific inquiry and evidence based medicine are the pillars that our entire health care system stands on… If you actively work against these core ideas, then how could you possibly lead the organization that promotes them? This is a huge disconnect. I can’t imagine how this choice for our health leader works at all for anyone.

We need a cabinet member who understands healthcare, research, and how to manage an unruly but brilliant segment of our government workforce and a massive bureaucracy that is vital to the lives of so many.

My hope is that the senate will not approve this choice and send the new administration back to the drawing board.

Information was derived from the following reports: https://www.npr.org/2024/11/14/nx-s1-5188411/robert-kennedy-trump-administration-health and https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/11/04/nx-s1-5178706/fluoride-drinking-water-rfk-jr-trump-conspiracy