Shelly Berkowitz: Country’s public health will worsen with RFK Jr. at the helm

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, at the Capitol in Washington on Dec. 17.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, at the Capitol in Washington on Dec. 17. AP

Published: 01-14-2025 4:31 PM

This letter is in response to Olin Rose-Bardawil’s column “The case for debate in our polarized times,” [Gazette, Jan. 10].

The point made by New York Times columnist Carl Lozada, mentioned and endorsed by Olin Rose-Bardawil in his column regarding the importance of “engaging critically” in debate and discussion (rather than only silence or agreement), is correct.

In that spirit, I am writing to point out that the reason I, and 15,000 other independent physicians who wrote a letter appealing to Congress to not endorse RFK Jr. as Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, is not because he is “associated with Donald Trump.” It is because RFK Jr.’s unproven, unscientific anti-vaccination misinformation is already resulting in a public health crisis (new upsurge in measles and pertussis cases due to lower vaccination rates), which will only get worse if he were confirmed.

Ironically, the one aspect of his platform that is true — that our highly processed and high fructose corn syrup-laden diet is unhealthy and leads to chronic diseases — would be completely suppressed by Trump and his allies, due to their financial allegiance to the USDA, which promotes these “foods” for profit.

Shelly Berkowitz

Northampton