Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, himself a childhood polio survivor, has advised nominees of President-elect Donald Trump to avoid actions that could undermine public trust in the polio vaccine.
In a statement on Friday, McConnell said, “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed — they’re dangerous.” He urged those seeking Senate confirmation for positions in Trump’s administration to avoid any association with such activities.
The remarks appeared aimed at Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for health secretary. Kennedy, known for promoting the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism, may face resistance in the GOP-led Senate. Reports have emerged that one of Kennedy’s advisors filed a 2022 petition to revoke approval of the polio vaccine, a move that sparked bipartisan concern.
Katie Miller, a spokesperson for Kennedy’s transition team, responded by saying that Kennedy supports making the polio vaccine accessible and properly studied.
The New York Times reported that an advisor to Kennedy filed the petition to halt the use of the polio vaccine and several others. The Washington Post confirmed the filing, though the Associated Press has not independently verified the claim. Vaccines, including the polio vaccine, are widely regarded as safe, effective, and among the most successful public health measures.
McConnell, who contracted polio at age two and credits his survival to advances in medicine and his mother’s care, praised the vaccine for saving millions of lives. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also criticized the reported efforts to challenge the vaccine, calling them “outrageous and dangerous” and urging Kennedy to clarify his position.
Trump nominated Kennedy in November, tasking him with protecting Americans from harmful substances and medical products. However, Kennedy’s history of opposing vaccines and promoting conspiracy theories has drawn backlash from scientists and public health experts, who warn that his views could jeopardize life-saving initiatives.
Kennedy has suggested significant reforms to the Department of Health and Human Services and criticized the FDA for alleged ties to pharmaceutical companies. His nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, has petitioned against COVID-19 vaccines and filed lawsuits alleging media bias against anti-vaccine views.
Kennedy has previously faced criticism for controversial remarks about vaccines, including comments linking COVID-19 to ethnic targeting and comparing public health measures to the Holocaust, claims he later sought to clarify.