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(NewsNation) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could look immoderate absorption arsenic helium seeks Senate confirmation to beryllium Republican President-elect Donald Trump's Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
When helium announced Kennedy arsenic his prime to pb the department, Trump said the erstwhile autarkic statesmanlike campaigner volition "play a large relation successful helping guarantee that everybody volition beryllium protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and nutrient additives."
As portion of his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda, Kennedy is looking to bash a implicit strategy overhaul of the agencies that modulate wellness and food. He's called for stricter pesticide regulations and made a vow to get processed foods removed from schoolhouse lunches.
On vaccines, Kennedy has said helium wants a re-examination of their information data. Health and aesculapian experts raised concerns to NewsNation spouse The Hill about Kennedy's power connected the Trump administration, arsenic helium has dispersed misinformation astir vaccines before. In an interrogation with NBC News, Kennedy denied being anti-vaccine and said that helium wouldn't "take them away" from those who privation one.
"I’m going to marque definite technological information studies and efficacy are retired there, and radical tin marque idiosyncratic assessments astir whether that merchandise is going to beryllium bully for them," Kennedy told the quality outlet earlier this month.
Kennedy volition apt look governmental pushback from senators during his confirmation arsenic HHS Secretary.
Democratic senators specified arsenic Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Ed Markey of Massachusetts criticized Kennedy arsenic Trump's prime to caput the department.
"Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious," Markey wrote.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., posted connected X that Kennedy perchance being successful complaint of Health and Human Services "could not beryllium much dangerous."
"There's nary telling however acold an anti-vaxxer (and) fringe conspiracy theorist similar RFK Jr. could set America back in presumption of nationalist health, reproductive rights, research, & more," she said.
On the different hand, immoderate Republican lawmakers celebrated Kennedy's nomination.
“RFK Jr. has championed issues similar steadfast foods and the request for greater transparency successful our nationalist wellness infrastructure,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said successful a connection Thursday, The Hill reported. "I look guardant to learning much astir his different argumentation positions and however they volition enactment a conservative, pro-American agenda.”
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said connected X that helium could not beryllium happier with Kennedy.
"He’s a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering committedness to transparency volition marque America a healthier nation," Johnson wrote.
Some lobbyists successful the nutrient and wellness manufacture are readying ways to halt the Senate from confirming Kennedy, Politico reported. Others are currying favour successful lawsuit they aren't successful, the quality outlet writes.
According to Reuters, soon aft quality of Kennedy's information came down, shares of vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna fell by arsenic overmuch arsenic 2%. Processed nutrient stocks decreased arsenic well, CNBC wrote.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.