The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a document in support of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to change US vaccine policies for pregnant women and children. The document is plagued with errors, mischaracterizing legitimate studies and citing disputed ones.
Medical experts call the document “willful medical disinformation” about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. The HHS director has claimed that the underlying data speaks for itself, but critics say this ignores legitimate scientific evidence.
The document cites a preprint study with an alert stating it should not be used to guide clinical practice due to its unpublished status. However, this claim was later debunked by one of the study’s co-authors.
Experts also point out that other studies on vaccine safety, including those related to myocarditis and blood clots in pregnant women, are being misrepresented or taken out of context.
Congress members who received the document have expressed outrage, with some calling it “sloppy” and “inattention to detail.” A bill has been introduced requiring Kennedy to adopt official vaccine decisions from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The HHS director did not name the author of the document, citing potential issues with research methodology and conclusions. Medical experts say this is a missed opportunity for transparency and accountability.
The controversy highlights concerns about the lack of scientific rigor in Kennedy’s policy changes, which have been widely criticized by medical professionals and scientists.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/13/health/kennedy-hhs-congress-vaccine-changes