Tuesday, January 28, 2025
As The First Jury Trial -- On Merck's HPV Vaccine Suits -- Is Underway... Kennedy Jr. Is Likely To Be Paid Millions, In Additional Legal Fees -- To Have Downed The Safety Of Gardasil...
C'mon, man -- this is just ridiculous. He cannot be confirmed. His conflicts of interest alone -- to say nothing of his woeful ignorance of actual human health science -- should be disqualifying. Here's ABC News from last week, on him:
. . .According to financial disclosure documents released last week, Kennedy's primary source of income in the past year were large sums of referral fees from multiple law firms, including Baum's office, whose civil lawsuit against Merck's Gardasil vaccine went to trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week. . . .
Kennedy's leading role in building a case against Merck is now raising questions about how he might wield his power as the nation's next health secretary -- a job intended as an impartial overseer in public health -- while in line for potential payouts from a major pharmaceutical company. . . .
"Even worse, if he is confirmed, his finances will still be tied to the outcomes of anti-vaccine lawsuits -- even as he'd be tasked with regulating them as health secretary. These are outrageous conflicts of interest that endanger public health," Warren said in a statement provided to reporters. . . .
A bit of disclosure, here: while we (back in 2009-2012) felt it should be up to parents of very young girls (under age 13) to decide for themselves about whether to vaccinate for HPV before age 16, we think it wise for all 16 year olds (and over) to be vaccinated. [At the time, Florida and Texas were trying to mandate by state law, that 13 year olds be forced to get the vaccine, even if they were not at all sexually active.] Times have changed, indeed.
Gardasil has repeatedly been shown in dozens of studies -- in the ensuing decade plus, to be both safe -- and effective, against some strains of HPV (which is more than occasionally a precursor to cervical cancers, in women). The Kennedy profiteering off of fear -- is thus. . . deplorable.
नमस्ते
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