Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, Sep 5: A stormy US Senate hearing on Thursday saw fiery exchanges between US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and lawmakers from both parties over his controversial vaccine policies.

Kennedy, who has overhauled vaccine advisory panels and scaled back federal support for immunization drives, accused senators of being misinformed or influenced by pharmaceutical companies.

“I told the American people this would be a once-in-a-generation shift in health care and public health policy,” Kennedy declared before the Senate Finance Committee, defending his dismissal of the CDC director and removal of vaccine experts from advisory panels.

Tempers flared as Democrats and some Republicans confronted Kennedy, accusing him of undermining science and endangering children. When Senator Maggie Hassan asked why access to Covid vaccines was withdrawn for healthy children, Kennedy retorted, “This is crazy talk… you are just making stuff up.”

The hearing also spotlighted the ouster of former CDC director Susan Monarez, who alleged Kennedy sought to pre-approve vaccine recommendations. In an opinion piece, she described the purge of trusted experts as “sabotage.” Kennedy dismissed her claims as lies, calling the shake-up “absolutely necessary adjustments.”

Senator Ron Wyden blasted Kennedy’s stance as “fundamentally cruel,” warning that children would “die as a result.” Protesters in lab coats and disability advocates gathered outside, accusing him of putting lives at risk.

Kennedy countered by highlighting the rise in chronic diseases, claiming US health agencies had long ignored the crisis. “It’s chronic disease that is bankrupting us and destroying our national security,” he said.

The White House backed him, with spokesman Kush Desai stating, “This is why President Trump put Secretary Kennedy in charge — to fix a broken system.”

But cracks within Republican ranks were evident. Senators Bill Cassidy and Thom Tillis, who had earlier supported Kennedy’s confirmation, questioned his credibility after he broke promises not to interfere with vaccine panels.

Meanwhile, over 20 public health agencies and eight major medical societies, including the American College of Physicians, have urged Kennedy’s resignation, warning that his policies are “putting lives at risk.”