Overview

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, has hired David Geier, a discredited vaccine critic, to lead a CDC study on vaccines and autism, raising alarm among public health experts.
• FDA official Peter Marks, a key figure in Operation Warp Speed, has resigned, reportedly due to Kennedy's actions and vaccine stance, further fueling concerns about leadership at HHS.
• Kennedy has downplayed a measles outbreak in Texas, prompting criticism about his approach to infectious disease management and its potential impact on public health preparedness.
• The Wall Street Journal editorial board has warned that Kennedy's actions are undermining public confidence in vaccines and fulfilling critics' fears about his leadership.
• Efforts by other Trump-era HHS appointees to counterbalance Kennedy's influence, such as FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, have reportedly been ineffective.