RFK Jr. can promote getting measles with impunity, DOJ lawyer tells judge

In a striking courtroom exchange, a lawyer representing the Trump administration asserted that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holds extensive and unchallengeable authority over national vaccine policies. This claim was made during a federal court session where the attorney suggested that Kennedy's powers might even extend to endorsing the abandonment of vaccines, which would expose the public to preventable diseases. This statement comes in the context of a lawsuit initiated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, alongside several other medical organizations and three anonymous plaintiffs. The legal action questions various decisions made by Kennedy regarding vaccine regulations since his appointment. Notably, the lawsuit highlights his controversial modifications to COVID-19 vaccine protocols, the dismissal of all 17 expert advisors from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the appointment of his own anti-vaccine supporters in their stead. Furthermore, Kennedy's significant changes to the CDC's childhood vaccination schedule have raised eyebrows, particularly his alignment with Denmark’s reduced vaccination recommendations—cutting the total from 17 to just 11. This adjustment places the United States at odds with other high-income nations. The plaintiffs are pursuing a preliminary injunction aimed at reversing these policy shifts and preventing the newly appointed advisors from convening. The next critical hearing is set for March 18–19, where the future of these contentious vaccine policies will be further deliberated.