Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is backing away from his anti-vaccine work as he vies for leadership of the Health and Human Services Department under President Trump. According to government ethics documents made public Wednesday, Kennedy has earned approximately $10 million over the past year from that work, including speaking engagements and his work at the helm on his Children's Health Defense non-profit, which files suits against the federal government related to vaccines. He stepped back from his roles as chairman and chief legal officer of the nonprofit in December.
Kennedy, a seasoned lawyer, has committed to stop collecting payments from claims against the US through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation program, though he will still earn from referral fees tied to non-government cases; that includes fees from a law firm that has gone after Merck in connection with its Gardasil vaccine. He made more than $850,000 through his deal with the firm last year. Though distancing himself from some anti-vaccine activities, he will continue to benefit from book royalties, with an expected $2 million in advances for upcoming releases despite pledging not to promote them if confirmed.
Kennedy says he plans to divest from personal investments in biotech firms, such as Dragonfly Therapeutics and CRISPR Therapeutics, if confirmed. Ahead of his Senate finance committee hearing later this month, Kennedy actively participated in inaugural events and advocated for his "Make America Healthy Again" movement, an initiative that has also financially rewarded him to the tune of $100,000 through merchandise sales. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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