Senators from both sides of the aisle are expected to carefully examine his commitment to evidence-based science and his readiness to lead one of the federal government’s largest departments.
The Senate hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) will provide valuable insight into President Trump’s health care priorities for the next four years. Perhaps more importantly, they will shed light on Kennedy’s perspectives on key health challenges facing the nation. Here are four things to watch during the hearings:
1. Vaccine policy and public health
A long-standing principle in medicine is “first, do no harm.” Senators are likely to question Kennedy about his past statements on vaccines, including his views on childhood vaccinations, the disproven link between vaccines and autism, and the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine. Senators will likely seek assurances about his understanding of the life-saving role of vaccines and the risks of increasing vaccine hesitancy. These discussions will test whether Kennedy supports strengthening vaccine safety efforts while maintaining public confidence in immunization programs. Beyond vaccines, senators may address other health-related comments Kennedy has made that diverge from scientific consensus, including his views on HIV and AIDS, antidepressants, and certain environmental chemicals. His responses will be pivotal in demonstrating his commitment to evidence-based science.
2. Confronting the chronic disease epidemic
Kennedy has correctly identified chronic diseases as America’s leading health challenge. However, senators may probe on his explanations for the epidemic, which often center on unproven causes, such as chemicals, pesticides, and vaccines. For example, while his emphasis on tackling America’s poor diet is encouraging, he seems to focus more on food additives as opposed to further driving down the consumption of hyperpalatable ingredients, such as added sugars, sodium, and saturated foods, which are linked to chronic diseases. Additionally, senators may explore Kennedy’s approach to other chronic disease risk factors, including tobacco use, mental health, and broader social determinants of health like housing and education. Kennedy’s ability to detail his strategy to holistically prevent chronic diseases will be key.
3. Broadening the focus on health challenges
To succeed as HHS secretary, Kennedy will need to demonstrate a willingness to address the full range of health issues facing the country. A comprehensive approach should avoid framing chronic diseases as being in competition with infectious diseases, prevention as opposing treatment, or pharmacologic drugs as separate from nonpharmacologic treatments. Senators will likely post questions on a variety of pressing issues, including obesity, health care affordability, pandemic preparedness, and reproductive health. They will need to evaluate whether Kennedy is prepared to lead the department in addressing the multifaceted nature of the nation’s health priorities.
4. Managing HHS and its workforce
As one of the largest federal agencies, HHS employs tens of thousands of career civil servants with institutional knowledge and deep expertise across various health domains. Senators will want to understand how Kennedy plans to collaborate with this workforce to achieve his vision of making America healthy again. Kennedy’s success will depend on his ability to build trust and motivate the agency’s staff. Proposals to drastically restructure the department, cut funding for critical programs, or promote unproven theories could hinder efforts to advance the nation’s health.
How Kennedy responds to these issues will play a significant role in determining whether the Senate confirms his nomination. While ideological differences on health care remain, senators from both sides of the aisle are expected to carefully examine his commitment to evidence-based science and his readiness to lead one of the federal government’s largest departments.
