Letter to the editor: RFK unfit to lead HHS

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent unhinged Senate testimony confirmed what we already knew: He is wildly unqualified to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Even Kennedy himself admits, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” On that point, he’s right.

We need to stop calling him a “vaccine skeptic.” He’s a conspiracy theorist who has spent decades spreading misinformation about vaccines. Alongside disgraced anti-vaxxer Andrew Wakefield, his lies have contributed to falling pediatric vaccination rates and the return of preventable childhood diseases.

Kennedy cloaks his claims in phrases like “evidence-based science” and “gold standard medicine.” But these are not just slogans. Real science relies on empirical evidence, transparency, peer review and reproducible results. Without these principles it’s not science, it’s just another conspiracy theory.

Kennedy’s incompetence is showcased by his choice of Jim O’Neill, a former tech investor with zero medical or public health experience, to lead the CDC. It’s like hiring a 10-year-old to perform surgery. They’re both dangerously unqualified. But then again experience and expert knowledge have never been a consideration for any of President Trump’s appointees.

America needs health leadership grounded in science, expertise and public trust, not conspiracy theories and chaos. RFK Jr. is not just unqualified; he’s a threat to public health.

Michael Pardus

Penn Township