Thousands of doctors sign letter against RFK Jr. becoming health secretary
Doctors across the country are coming together, asking senators to vote against confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President-elect Donald Trump’s top health official. More than 17,000 doctors signed a letter, initiated by the physicians advocacy group Committee to Protect Health Care, supporting the movement against Kennedy becoming the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The letter cites his controversial views on several hot button topics, including vaccines and disproven treatments for COVID-19.
“The health and well-being of 336 million Americans depend on leadership at HHS that prioritizes science, evidence-based medicine, and strengthening the integrity of our public health system,” the letter states. “RFK Jr. is not only unqualified to lead this essential agency — he is actively dangerous.”
While his views often draw criticism, he gets support from groups who see him as a champion for health freedom, and an advocate for questioning public health safety with his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
“I think he’s gonna be much less radical than you would think. I think he’s got a very open mind or I wouldn’t have put him there,” Trump said.
Kennedy has not commented on the letter against his nomination. He would need all but three Republican votes if all Senate Democrats vote against his confirmation.
A date for his confirmation hearing has not been announced.
Trump will pull out of WHO on day 1 in office: Report
President-elect Donald Trump plans to pull the United States out of the World Health Organization (WHO) on day one of his second administration on Jan. 20. The plans were first reported on Sunday, Dec. 22, by the Financial Times.
Meanwhile, global health officials warn of the potentially “catastrophic” consequences of the United States leaving the organization. The departure of the U.S. from the global health body would reportedly eliminate the agency’s largest single donor. The U.S. provided around 16% of the WHO’s funding from 2022-2023.
Professor of Global Health at Georgetown Law, Lawrence Gostin, said America’s absence would create a “huge vacuum in global health financing and leadership,” adding, it will hurt the WHO’s ability to respond to health emergencies and lead to cuts among “scientific staff.”
Global health officials say the WHO is critical to vaccine development and distribution as well as other treatments during global health emergencies.
Gostin says a withdrawal will likely hamper the United States’ response to any potential pandemics as well, noting, America would be without a key source of information “when the next outbreak occurs.”
Second time’s the charm?
This wouldn’t be the first time Trump has tried to lead a U.S. exit from the WHO.
In 2020, Trump began the process of leaving the organization amid the spread of COVID-19. At the time, he accused the WHO of being under the control of Beijing and criticized its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He sent a four-page letter to the WHO director, suspending funds.
This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! pic.twitter.com/pF2kzPUpDv
On May 29, 2020, Trump said, “We will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.”
Details remain undisclosed on how Trump’s new administration plans to handle the reported withdrawal. In his first attempt to divert funds elsewhere, Trump’s team said the United States would continue to participate in “critical meetings” with the organization.
At the time, some Republican lawmakers supported the decision for the U.S. to withdraw from the WHO, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., posted on X that the WHO “must be held accountable,” but said it would divert funds to more “credible and transparent” world health agencies who could “demonstrate their independence from China.”
However, the process of withdrawal was never completed, and Trump’s successor President Joe Biden restarted relations with the WHO on day one in office, just months later.
Those familiar with Trump’s current plans tell the Financial Times that the incoming administration will move much faster this time to withdraw from the agency.
Republicans skeptical of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s views on vaccines
Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s past statements on vaccines could come back to hurt him. Republican senators say his previous statements are hurting his chances of being confirmed as the next Department of Health and Human Services secretary.
According to reporting in The New York Times, Kennedy has said polio vaccines might have caused a wave of cancers that killed many more people than the virus ever did. He also said the idea that the vaccine caused a drastic decline in cases is “a mythology” and “not true.”
“I’ve got a completely open mind, but that kind of nonsense is not, it’s not helpful,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told reporters Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Sen. Kennedy is one of multiple Republicans who say RFK Jr. will have to explain himself. The two have no relation.
“He should fire his lawyer,” Sen. Kennedy said.
Attorney Aaron Siri is helping RFK Jr. hire senior officials at HHS for the incoming administration. Siri has previously petitioned the government to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine.
Siri has done work on behalf of the Informed Consent Action Network. In addition to his efforts against the polio vaccine, he’s tried to pause the distribution of 13 other vaccines and challenged COVID vaccine mandates, in some cases successfully.
“Call his lawyer up and saying, ‘Look, man, stop dipping into your ketamine stash.’ Polio vaccine has saved hundreds and hundreds of millions of lives in the world,” Sen. Kennedy said.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who had polio as a child and has had physical limitations his whole life as a result, said efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are “uninformed” and “dangerous.”
“Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming Administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts,” McConnell said in a statement.
On Monday, Dec. 16, President-elect Donald Trump said he’s a “big believer” in the polio vaccine and expressed support for Kennedy.
“No, I think he’s going to be much less radical than you would think. I think he’s got a very open mind or I wouldn’t have put him there,” Trump said.
Kennedy can be confirmed with an all Republican vote, but he will work to win bipartisan support. Democrats are just as skeptical.
“They’re life and death issues,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters. “Let’s be very serious about this. This is not a political game.”
Republicans will hold a 53-47 seat majority in 2025. So Kennedy could lose three votes and potentially still be confirmed with JD Vance breaking the tie as vice president.
Trump says Jan. 6 pardons could come in ‘first 9 minutes’ of 2nd term
Time magazine named President-elect Donald Trump as “Person of the Year” for the second time. In an exclusive interview, he revealed some of his top priorities for his second term.
Trump said he plans to pardon “most” of the individuals convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, making it one of his first official acts in office.
He told Time that the pardons would begin quickly, possibly within his presidency’s first hour or even the first nine minutes.
“A vast majority should not be in jail, and they’ve suffered gravely,” he said.
Other top priorities for Trump include increasing domestic oil production and ramping up deportations, a key issue in his election campaign. He also explained that federal laws would allow him to use the military to enforce his immigration policies.
“It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country,” said Trump. “I’ll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows.”
Trump also discussed plans for the U.S. Department of Education, proposing a “virtual closure,” though he did not specify what that would involve. He also indicated his intention to roll back some of President Joe Biden’s protections for transgender students, particularly in sports.
Concerning public health, Trump expressed support for revisiting childhood vaccinations if links to autism are found. “We’re going to have a big discussion. The autism rate is at a level that nobody ever believed possible,” Trump said.
Regarding foreign policy, Trump suggested that resolving conflicts in the Middle East would be easier than ending the war in Ukraine.
“I think that the Middle East is an easier problem to handle than what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. “The Middle East is going to get solved. I think it’s more complicated than the Russia-Ukraine [war], but I think it’s easier to solve.”
Kids’ flu vaccination rates have been decreasing for a while. During the 2023-2024 flu season, only 55% of kids got the shot, the lowest rate in 12 years.
In that season, 205 children reportedly died from the flu. However, the CDC says the toll was likely much bigger since not all children who die are tested for the flu. The CDC estimated that around 724 children died from the flu last year.
Study on link between COVID-19 and cancer causes buzz online
A new study on the effects that COVID-19 could potentially have on cancer tumors is causing a lot of buzz online. Northwestern University researchers found that the virus triggers immune changes that one day may be able to fight cancer.
The research started after doctors noticed people with cancer, who got very sick with COVID-19 during the pandemic, saw their tumors shrink or grow at a slower rate.
The study revealed the same cells activated by severe cases of the virus could be induced with a drug to attack cancer cells. Researchers specifically saw a response with melanoma, lung, breast and colon cancer.
While there were some anecdotal stories from doctors during the pandemic, the researchers only used human blood and tissues and mice. No actual patients with cancer were a part of the study.
However, the results led to different headlines from multiple news outlets ranging from “Covid might cure cancer. No, you didn’t read that wrong,” to “Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links viruses to shrinking tumors.”
The headlines had some doctors reacting on social media, including Dr. Ali Khan who served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more than 20 years.
“Clickbait,” Khan commented on X. “Nope – Not a single person involved in the study. Some blood and human tissue samples and mice. Stay tuned 20 years.”
Clickbait. "Can COVID-19 help the body fight cancer? Shocking new study links virus to shrinking tumors" Nope. Not a single person involved in study. Some blood & human tissue samples and mice. Stay tuned 20 years.https://t.co/bgBYs8ySMa
The study also has some people questioning the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If the COVID-19 natural infection can mitigate cancer, could the COVID-19 immunization have the opposite effect?” another person said on X.
While the study didn’t include data on the vaccine, the researchers say the link between the COVID-19 virus and cancer is promising.
They also emphasized more work is needed before this approach can actually be used on patients. They said next steps will involve clinical trials to see if they can safely and effectively implement their findings on people.
RFK Jr. pick: Democratic governor ‘excited,’ conservative outlet opposed
President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are dominating the news cycle this week. One of the most anticipated announcements came Thursday, Nov. 14, with Trump nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of Health and Human Services.
The reaction is mixed and crosses party lines. For instance, a right-leaning news outlet has come out against Trump’s pick, while a Democratic governor has expressed support.
Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., posted a message on X, saying he was “excited” that Trump would appoint Kennedy.
“Before you mock him or disagree, I want to share with you some quotes that, if he follows through, show why I’m excited,” Polis wrote.
I’m excited by the news that the President-Elect will appoint @RobertKennedyJr to @HHSGov. He helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA. I hope he leans into personal choice on vaccines rather than… pic.twitter.com/cILtTYplcn
Polis highlighted Kennedy’s plans to reduce drug prices, overhaul the FDA’s nutrition department and shift away from pesticide-intensive agriculture.
“He will face strong special interest opposition on these, but I look forward to partnering with him to truly make America healthy again,” Polis wrote.
Some Republican lawmakers, including Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, have praised Kennedy’s potential appointment, calling him “brilliant.”
However, some Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, have criticized the nomination, calling it “dangerous.”
Some of the media, both left-leaning and right-leaning, have expressed concerns over Kennedy’s nomination, with coverage centering on his controversial remarks about vaccines.
The Associated Press labeled Kennedy as “an anti-vaccine activist,” while PBS described him as someone who “has promoted vaccine misinformation.”
The AP’s article highlights a podcast interview in July, when Kennedy said, “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” The AP added Kennedy “still believes in the long-ago debunked idea that vaccines can cause autism.”
The New York Post’s editorial board also came out against the nomination, saying, “Putting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of health breaks the first rule of medicine.”
The Post’s editorial reads, “The overriding rule of medicine is: First, do no harm. We’re certain installing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head Health and Human Services breaks this rule.”
In his endorsement of Kennedy, Gov. Polis cautioned Kennedy not to ban vaccines but to “lean into personal choice on vaccines.” In a later interview with MSNBC, Kennedy said, “I’ve never been anti-vaccine” and wouldn’t take vaccines away.
He reiterated in a 2016 interview with NBC that vaccinations should be a matter of personal choice.
The nomination has also affected the stock market. Following the announcement, shares of vaccine makers dropped sharply. Moderna fell 6%, Pfizer dropped more than 4% and Novavax declined by over 2%.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
President-elect Trump has named RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. And fight fans are ready for a streaming spectacle: former champ Mike Tyson will return to the ring to take on social media star Jake Paul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
“[Kennedy is] another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy,” Trump said. “It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.”
“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr.,” Trump said.
Kennedy responded to the nomination earlier in the day, posting on X in part, “We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
The 70-year-old Kennedy is a former Democrat, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. He would oversee a group of health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) called Kennedy “a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering commitment to transparency will make America a healthier nation.”
Meanwhile, critics of Kennedy pointed to his previous comments questioning vaccinations. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said in a statement, “Mr. Kennedy’s outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children.”
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) just posted three words: “Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious.”
Kennedy is also the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, which is described by media outlets as the leading anti-vaccine group in the nation.
When pressed on the subject of vaccinations by both NBC News and NPR in interviews earlier this month, Kennedy said if put into this type of role he is “not going to take away anybody’s vaccinations.”
President-elect Trump adds more names to his cabinet
Also on Thursday, Trump nominated Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs secretary. The former Republican congressman from Georgia and Iraq war veteran was a supporter of Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.
Trump also named three of his lawyers to positions in the Justice Department.
Finally, John Sauer, who won the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court, is Trump’s pick for solicitor general.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, Nov. 15, before Gaetz resigned, was supposed to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
Tropical Storm Sara brings dangerous torrential rain to Honduras
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall late Thursday in northern Honduras, bringing torrential rain as it skirts the country’s coast. Authorities there have warned of the potential for dangerous flash flooding and landslides, with the country’s president saying it could “become a catastrophic event.”
Honduran officials have issued the highest-level warning along the country’s northern coast and activated the national police and military for rescue and relief efforts. Sara is expected to move inland, making landfall over Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17, before dissipating over the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This marks the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
If none of this UAP stuff exists, if it’s all false, why at every turn are people trying to stop transparency? You can’t talk about fight club if there’s no fight club. pic.twitter.com/otPGNbwu71
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Tyson vs. Paul in Netflix’s first live streaming boxing event
The two faced off during a final weigh-in on Thursday, with Tyson slapping Paul. The eight-round match at AT&T Stadium in Texas was postponed from July after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer weeks before the bout.
Reports indicate both competitors are expected to have a big payday. Tyson, who has a record of 50-6, will reportedly make $20 million and the 27-year-old Paul, who has a record of 10-1, will make $40 million.
Paul’s startup, Most Valuable Promotions, teamed up with Netflix to bring the fight together.
Netflix currently has more than 282 million paid subscribers worldwide and Paul predicts at least 25 million of them will tune in. If that comes to pass, it’ll make this the most watched boxing match of all time.
Catholic woman fired over COVID-19 vaccine refusal awarded $13 million
A Michigan court has awarded nearly $13 million to Lisa Domski, a Catholic woman who was fired by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in 2021. She was fired after refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine on religious grounds.
Domski sued her former employer after her request for a religious exemption was denied. She had worked for the company for 38 years.
She argued that the company violated her rights by firing her after she submitted a written statement from her priest. The complaint explained the vaccine conflicted with her Catholic beliefs.
A jury ruled in Domski’s favor, determining that Blue Cross Blue Shield failed to accommodate her religious beliefs. They also found that the company unlawfully terminated her.
Domski’s legal team hailed the decision as a major victory for religious freedom. Attorney Jon Marko represented Domski. He emphasized the case highlighted Americans’ right to practice their religion without government or corporate interference.
Blue Cross Blue Shield expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating that its vaccine policy was designed to protect the health of its workforce. The policy required all employees to be vaccinated or seek an accommodation.
The company maintains that its accommodation process complied with state and federal law and respected employees’ religious beliefs. BCBSM said it is reviewing additional legal options.
Some Catholics have voiced strong opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine, citing concerns over the use of cell lines from aborted fetuses in vaccine development.
While Pope Francis has supported vaccination, calling it “an act of love,” the church has emphasized that Catholics shouldn’t be obligated to get vaccinated.
Hospitalized Canadian teen with H5N1 had no known prior exposure to virus
A Canadian teen’s bird flu infection is raising questions about the transmission of the virus. As the teen slipped into critical condition on Tuesday, Nov. 12, with a life-threatening lung condition, doctors are still working to figure out how the infection occurred with no known exposure to infected people or animals.
The individual, who has not been identified by name or gender, reportedly never went on a farm and all pets in their home have tested negative for H5N1. Meanwhile, contact tracing is ongoing among 35 to 40 people including medical workers with known contact with the teen.
This is reportedly the first case of bird flu in Canada since 2014. It is similar to a case of a Missouri teen with no known prior exposure to H5N1 earlier this year.
U.S. officials are reportedly in contact with Canadian health authorities, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered assistance to Canada if needed.
The CDC reported that 45 of the 46 confirmed bird flu cases in the United States have come from farm workers exposed to the infection.
The Canadian teen’s case comes as a U.S. Congressional report urged the United States to ready for a “pandemic influenza response” before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The report pushing for more protective equipment, testing and antiviral treatments as virologists warn that the virus’ transmission may be evolving.
Despite the concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) still rates the risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu as “unlikely.”
However, the CDC has expanded bird flu testing to all farmworkers even those without symptoms of the virus, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the testing of milk.