Feb 3, 2025 Story by: Editor
During a tense confirmation hearing, senators closely examined Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ‘s history of statements on vaccines, particularly his changing positions on their safety and effectiveness.
Senator Angela Alsobrooks, a Maryland Democrat, highlighted past remarks by Kennedy in which he stated, “We should not be giving black people the same vaccine schedule that’s given to whites because their immune system is better than ours.”
Challenging Kennedy, Alsobrooks, who is Black, asked, “So what different vaccine schedule would you say I should have received? With all due respect, that is so dangerous.”
In response, Kennedy cited a well-known vaccine researcher, claiming that “a series of studies” indicate “to particular antigens blacks have a much stronger reaction.”
Kennedy’s assertion appears to stem from research conducted by a team at the Mayo Clinic that examined racial differences in immune responses to vaccines. The study did find that African Americans exhibited a higher antibody response after receiving the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine compared to white individuals. However, the study’s author clarified to NPR that the data does not support altering vaccine schedules based on race.
Dr. Richard Kennedy, a vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic (unrelated to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), acknowledged that immune responses to vaccines can differ based on race, sex, and numerous other factors. However, he cautioned against misinterpreting the findings.
“Suggesting that African Americans should have different schedules would be twisting the data far beyond what they actually demonstrate,” he said.
Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of medicine at Emory University, also criticized Kennedy’s claim, stating that drawing such conclusions is “taking it to a very unsafe place,” particularly given that vaccination rates among Black children are already lower.
Despite his history of questioning vaccine safety, Kennedy has maintained during the hearings that he supports vaccinations. However, he has avoided explicitly disavowing past statements, including debunked claims that vaccines cause autism.
A review of Kennedy’s full remarks from the 2021 appearance cited by Alsobrooks reveals that he made additional misleading claims about vaccine safety. He referenced a study that allegedly found a higher rate of autism among Black children who received the MMR vaccine on schedule. However, that study was later retracted due to concerns over the validity of its methods and statistical analysis, as well as undeclared competing interests from the author, who serves as the chief scientific officer for Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group founded and led by Kennedy for years.
During that same appearance, Kennedy appeared to reference the Mayo Clinic study, claiming it showed that the measles vaccine would “push their immune response over the cliff” and that “the body of those black boys is going to begin to attack their own body thinking that it is a foreign invader.”
He further stated, “The vaccines that we’re giving them are overloading them and causing autoimmunity.”
However, the study in question did not examine adverse reactions or side effects.
“The data do not show that one racial group experiences increased harm or autoimmunity compared to any other racial group,” clarified study author Richard Kennedy.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously promoted theories suggesting vaccines disproportionately harm communities of color. A film he produced years ago suggested this idea and misrepresented another Mayo Clinic study—this time on the rubella vaccine—to support its argument.
Dr. Gregory Poland, the author of that study, refuted these claims, telling NPR, “We found no evidence of increased vaccine side effects,” and that any suggestion of “increased vulnerability” among African Americans receiving the rubella vaccine is “simply not supported by either this study or the science.” Source: NPR
