Kennedy's Vaccine Comments and FDA Policy Changes Draw Sharp Questions from Senators

Senators on the Senate HELP Committee pressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his public statements on vaccines and changes at the Food and Drug Administration that lawmakers said undermine confidence in established vaccination programs.

Senator Chris Murphy confronted Kennedy about his confirmation pledge "I will not work to impound, divert, or otherwise reduce any funding appropriated by Congress for the purpose of vaccination programs," and said the administration had canceled roughly $12 billion in public-health grants used by states to administer and track vaccines. Murphy said the cancellation and other comments by the secretary have "undermined faith in the vaccines." (Senator Chris Murphy)

Kennedy said he had pledged transparency and would "tell the truth about everything we know and we don't know about vaccines," and defended his approach to vaccine safety reviews, saying he wants "safety studies prior to the licensure and recommendation of vaccines" and that he would require stronger pre-licensure safety data than current practice. He additionally said he is not "going to just tell people everything is safe and effective" if data raise questions. (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.)

On the measles outbreak, Senator Kyrsten Sinema asked Kennedy to state directly that "the best way to protect [children] from measles is to vaccinate them." Kennedy responded that "the best way to stop the spread of measles [is] through vaccination," and reiterated that HHS has handled recent outbreaks effectively. (Kyrsten Sinema)

Senators pressed whether the administration's policy changes at the FDA would delay approvals. Kennedy said his team has set new standards and called for pre-licensure safety trials for vaccines, noting that "vaccines are the only medical product that is exempt from pre licensing safety testing" in current practice and that he intends to "remedy" that.

Committee members also requested documentation and are seeking follow-up on the alleged canceled grants and the timing of CDC advisory panels that make vaccine recommendations. Kennedy said he would provide information and that agency staff changes should not interrupt core vaccine programs.

Why it matters: Senators said the HHS secretary's public statements and policy shifts can affect public confidence and uptake of routine vaccines during an active measles outbreak. Kennedy's call for additional pre-licensure safety data for vaccines represents a potential procedural change at FDA that lawmakers said could slow access to future vaccines and affect public health.

No formal policy changes were enacted at the hearing; senators requested written responses and documentation.