Former surgeons general condemn Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health policies – The Hill
Health Care
Former surgeons general: RFK Jr. actions ‘endangering the health of the nation’
by Max Rego – 10/08/25 3:57 PM ET
Six former surgeons general criticized Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a Tuesday op-ed in The Washington Post.
Editor’s Note: I recommend reading also the WP article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/10/07/surgeons-general-rfk-jr-robert-kennedy/
“The actions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are endangering the health of the nation,” the group said. “Never before have we issued a joint public warning like this. But the profound, immediate and unprecedented threat that Kennedy’s policies and positions pose to the nation’s health cannot be ignored.”
The former surgeons general behind the op-ed were Vivek Murthy, Jerome Adams, Richard Carmona, David Satcher, Joycelyn Elders and Antonia Novello. Murthy, Elders and Satcher were appointed by Democratic presidents, while Adams, Carmona and Novello were appointed by Republican presidents.
In their op-ed, the former surgeons general said that under Kennedy, the “foundations of our nation’s public health system have been undermined.” They specifically criticized the HHS secretary’s longstanding claims that childhood vaccines are linked to autism, his handling of measles outbreaks throughout the country, his recommendation against pregnant women taking Tylenol and his upheaval of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory panel.
In June, Kennedy removed all 17 members of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), saying it was necessary to restore trust in vaccines. Kennedy has since replaced those panel members with individuals who have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The ACIP’s recommendations must be approved by the CDC director before being implemented. In August, Kennedy removed former Director Susan Monarez from the post after just weeks on the job. Monarez later said she refused to preapprove the committee’s decisions.
On Monday, the CDC accepted the ACIP’s recommendation that individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine after consulting with a health provider. Later in the day, acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill called on vaccine manufacturers to split up the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate shots, taking the same stance as President Trump.
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