Overview

• President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
• David Weldon, known for questioning vaccine safety and promoting debunked autism-vaccine links, has been tapped to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Mehmet Oz, criticized for promoting unproven medical treatments, is set to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Public health experts warn that these appointments could undermine vaccination efforts, as U.S. childhood vaccination rates have already been declining since 2019.
• The nominees' confirmation processes in Congress are expected to be contentious, with concerns about their potential impact on public trust in health institutions.