Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reiterated his commitment to the anti-vaccine movement at a meeting in Georgia on Friday.
Kennedy, who is currently running as an independent, has largely avoided anti-vaccine advocacy on the campaign trail. But in his conference speech, he denounced the evils of pharmaceutical companies, warned researchers against improperly orchestrating scientific discoveries for profit, and laid out the conspiracy theories surrounding the new crown measure.
He also said that as president he would
Tell the National Institutes of Health to temporarily halt infectious disease research and focus on chronic diseases.
Appoint an attorney general to threaten editors of medical journals for publishing retracted research.
Use the attorney general’s power to file racketeering lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies.
Kennedy’s speech drew applause from the audience, which included other prominent anti-vaccine activists such as Paul Thomas, James Lyons Weller, and Andrew Wakefield.
Kennedy’s anti-vaccine advocacy was criticized by scientists and public health experts who argued that it was dangerous and could lead to more preventable diseases.
Despite the criticism, Kennedy’s poll numbers have remained relatively stable. In a hypothetical 2024 election matchup at Quinnipiac University this week, Kennedy garnered 22 percent support, beating out Biden (39 percent) and Trump (36 percent).
It’s unclear whether Kennedy’s anti-vaccine advocacy would hurt his chances of winning the presidency. But his remarks at the conference suggest he won’t abandon his views.