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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Issues: vaccination

RFK Jr.’s New Vaccine Panel Casts Doubt on Hepatitis B Shot at Birth

RFK Jr.’s New Vaccine Panel Casts Doubt on Hepatitis B Shot at Birth
June 26, 2025

The chair of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s newly constituted vaccine advisory committee announced in his first meeting that the panel will revisit the longstanding practice of vaccinating all babies against hepatitis B, questioning whether it was “wise” to administer shots “to every newborn before leaving the hospital.” Experts, however, say there are valid reasons to vaccinate babies against hepatitis B, and that it has proven to be safe and very effective.

RFK Jr.’s Flawed Justifications for ‘Clean Sweep’ of CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel

RFK Jr.’s Flawed Justifications for ‘Clean Sweep’ of CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel
June 18, 2025

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel, claiming it “has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.” But there’s no evidence of problematic conflicts of interest or that the group inadequately scrutinizes vaccines.

Q&A on New COVID-19 Vaccine Policies

Q&A on New COVID-19 Vaccine Policies
June 5, 2025

In the past two weeks, U.S. public health authorities have skirted normal procedures and announced two major policy changes that will likely reduce access to COVID-19 vaccines and restrict use to higher-risk populations. Here, we explain what we know — and don’t — about these new COVID-19 vaccine policies.

RFK Jr.’s Misleading Line on the Chickenpox Vaccine

RFK Jr.’s Misleading Line on the Chickenpox Vaccine
May 16, 2025

Speaking before Congress, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. misleadingly claimed that Europe doesn’t vaccinate children against chickenpox because a study shows that when you do, “you get shingles in older people.” While that is a theoretical concern, studies have not borne that out — and parts of Europe do vaccinate kids.

RFK Jr. Misleads About Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine in Children

RFK Jr. Misleads About Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine in Children
May 7, 2025

In recent interviews, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has minimized the risk COVID-19 poses to kids and exaggerated the risk of the vaccine, incorrectly claiming that the shot poses a “profound risk” to children. While serious side effects can occur, they are rare, and have not been shown to outweigh the benefits of the vaccine in protecting against COVID-19.

HHS Advances Kennedy’s Old ‘Placebo’ Vaccine Safety Claims

HHS Advances Kennedy’s Old ‘Placebo’ Vaccine Safety Claims
May 6, 2025

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has misleadingly claimed that vaccines are not tested in placebo-controlled trials. Now, an HHS spokesperson has used similar language in a statement that falsely said there’s little available evidence on whether vaccines are safe.

No Sign of Texas Measles Outbreak Slowing, Contrary to RFK Jr.’s Claims

No Sign of Texas Measles Outbreak Slowing, Contrary to RFK Jr.’s Claims
April 11, 2025

On four separate occasions, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary, has suggested that the measles outbreak in Texas, which is now over 500 cases, is beginning to subside and grow more slowly. But a review of state data indicates there’s no decline yet in the pace of cases.

RFK Jr.’s Faulty Advice On Bird Flu 

RFK Jr.’s Faulty Advice On Bird Flu 
March 28, 2025

In recent news appearances, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suggested allowing bird flu to spread in poultry flocks unchecked. Scientists say that’s risky because it gives the virus more opportunities to replicate, increasing the chance it could change to spread easily among humans.