Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary, Capping Contentious Fight Over Vaccine Skeptic’s Nomination; NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak, Who Led Agency During COVID, Abruptly Resigns, and other C-Virus related stories
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as HHS secretary, capping contentious fight over vaccine skeptic’s nomination:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed by the Senate as President Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday, capping a contentious fight over his skepticism on vaccines that had divided Republicans.
Senators voted 52-48 to place Kennedy, 71, atop the nation’s health bureaucracy with oversight of a budget of roughly $1.7 trillion.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), along with every Democrat, opposed Kennedy’s confirmation.
Trump, 78, knocked McConnell during Kennedy’s swearing-in ceremony later at the White House — and announced that the Democrat-turned-independent will chair a new Make America Healthy Again Commission.
“Bobby created a nationwide movement made up of millions and millions of mothers and fathers and young people and concerned citizens of every background to end this horrible chronic disease crisis that exists in America,” Trump said.
“He’s absolutely committed to getting dangerous chemicals out of our environment, and out of our food supply, and getting the American people the facts and the answers that we deserve after years in which our public health system has squandered the trust of our citizens.”
Kennedy thanked Trump for having “kept his word” in “every promise he’s made to me” after endorsing his onetime Republican opponent for the presidency in late 2024.
“For 20 years, I got down every morning on my knees and prayed that God would put me in a position where I can end childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country,” he said. “On August 23 of last year, God sent me President Trump.”
The newly installed HHS chief also called the president a “pivotal historical figure” who is “going to transform this country at a time when we see all of the condition of democracy now in tatters in our country.”
RFK Jr., a longtime environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic, had received assurances this week from Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that they would back him, easing the path to Trump’s cabinet.
“I continue to have concerns about Mr. Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination,” Murkowski said Wednesday.
“Vaccines have saved millions of lives, and I sought assurance that, as HHS secretary, he would do nothing to make it difficult for people to take vaccines or discourage vaccination efforts. —>READ MORE HERE
NIH principal deputy director Lawrence Tabak, who led agency during COVID, abruptly resigns:
The No. 2 in command at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Lawrence A. Tabak, who served as acting director of the agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, has abruptly resigned.
Tabak, 73, has been at the NIH for 25 years, first serving as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research before eventually becoming the NIH’s principal deputy director in 2010, which is the second-in-command at the agency.
Tabak also served during transitional periods as acting director, including during the COVID era when he was regularly grilled by Republicans, alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, over the NIH’s response.
“I write to inform you that I have retired from government service, effective today, 2/11/2025,” Tabak wrote in an email, reportedly circulated to staff at the NIH, earlier this week.
The note did not explain the reason for his departure.
Tabak’s resignation comes amid a shakeup within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the NIH’s parent agency, that occurred once President Donald Trump took office in January.
Under Trump, the agency has faced cuts to programs and reports have indicated the administration has plans to fire a trove of HHS employees. —>READ MORE HERE
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