Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Courtesy of Kennedy 2024.
Just like the military-industrial complex is gunning for Trump Secretary of Defense appointee Pete Hegseth, now the medical-industrial complex is coming for Trump’s appointee for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Leading the charge against Kennedy is a group of Nobel Laureates. At first, this sounds like an unimpeachable squadron of experts aligned against the nominee, but on his Substack, Sayer Ji breaks down the conflicts of interest among the laureates, writing:
The signatories of the letter come from prestigious backgrounds, many with long histories of groundbreaking research. Yet, their significant conflicts of interest deserve attention, especially when considering the broader context of RFK Jr.’s criticism of corporate influence over public health policy.
One key example is Drew Weissman, awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking work on mRNA technology. Weissman’s research has led to the development of vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna, both of which received substantial NIH funding. The financial relationships between Weissman and the pharmaceutical companies that produced the mRNA COVID vaccines are significant and raise questions about the objectivity of his position. RFK Jr., a vocal critic of vaccine safety policies and the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies on public health, has long advocated for greater transparency in vaccine research and development—principles that directly challenge the corporate interests represented by some of these Nobel Laureates.
In addition to Weissman, other signatories—such as J. Michael Bishop and Harold E. Varmus, both Nobel Laureates in Medicine—have long-standing relationships with the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. Both have made critical contributions to cancer research, advancing the field of oncogenes and biotechnology. Bishop and Varmus have also held leadership positions at universities and institutions that have received significant pharmaceutical and biotech funding, sectors that could be directly impacted by potential policy changes under RFK Jr.’s leadership at DHHS.
The influence of these industries, and the Laureates’ deep entanglements within them, underscores a critical point: RFK Jr.’s call for reform is not only necessary, it is urgent. His calls to limit the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies, biotech giants, and other corporate interests on public health policy directly challenge the status quo that these Laureates—and the industries they represent—have benefited from.
Read more here.
Bottom line: I want to be in the position where I'm most effective to end the chronic disease epidemic. pic.twitter.com/McArehaK7k
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 4, 2024
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