RFK Jr.: 'I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me'

WASHINGTON - Skirting a question connected an contented that has gained him enactment and stoked opponents, Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Mark Pocan during a proceeding earlier a House committee he thinks Americans should not beryllium taking aesculapian proposal from him.

The issue? Vaccines.

Pocan asked Kennedy, “If you had a kid today, would you vaccinate that kid for measles?”

“Probably for measles,” Kennedy said, earlier backpedaling. “What I would accidental is my opinions astir vaccines are irrelevant.”

“I don’t privation to look similar I americium being evasive but I don’t deliberation radical should beryllium taking aesculapian proposal from me,” helium added, reiterating his stance erstwhile pressed further by Pocan.

For years, Kennedy has questioned the effectiveness of vaccines and promoted debunked claims that definite vaccines are linked to autism.

Just past month, Kennedy claimed that measles vaccines are “leaky” due to the fact that their effectiveness wanes implicit clip – an statement disputed by aesculapian experts.

“That's benignant of your jurisdiction due to the fact that CDC does springiness advice,” Pocan replied, to which Kennedy said, “What we're trying to bash is to laic retired the pros and cons, the risks and benefits accurately arsenic we recognize them, with replicable studies.”

When pressed connected whether helium would vaccinate his children for chickenpox and Polio, Kennedy erstwhile again said helium didn’t privation to beryllium giving advice.

Kennedy made headlines successful December past twelvemonth erstwhile it was reported that 1 of his allies, Aaron Siri, filed a petition successful 2022 connected behalf of an activistic radical asking the Food and Drug Administration to suspend oregon retreat support of a polio vaccine for children. Kennedy told senators astatine the time helium was “all for” the polio vaccine.

What the caput mightiness bash and what helium has done successful his idiosyncratic beingness whitethorn differ. When questioned during his confirmation proceeding astir vaccinating his children connected Jan. 29 earlier the Senate Finance Committee, helium answered straightforwardly: "All of my kids are vaccinated."

Contributing: Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected USA TODAY: RFK Jr. skirts divisive question earlier Congress