In his first Senate confirmation hearing to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeated claims we have written about before on vaccines and chronic disease.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s record of questioning childhood vaccine safety came under fire from a key Republican at the Trump HHS pick's confirmation hearing.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees many of the country’s health agencies, from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In this week’s edition of InnovationRx, we look at HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first Senate confirmation hearing, the chaos at the NIH and with federal research funding, new dosages for an Alzheimer’s drug, a major tuberculosis outbreak, and more. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.

RFK Jr. claimed he is not “anti-vaccine” and appeared unfamiliar with key aspects of healthcare insurance programs in his confirmation hearing.

The health committee chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also has expressed concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine work. A physician, Cassidy said earlier this month he “had a frank conversation” and “spoke about vaccines at length” with Kennedy. On Tuesday, Cassidy told reporters that he is still unsure if he is backing Trump’s nominee.

While Mr. Kennedy, seeking the job of health secretary, has been vocal about vaccines and his desire to overhaul the nation’s diet, he has said very little about other issues.

For the first time in modern American history, a skeptic of medical research could be responsible for safeguarding public health.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will face the Senate for two days of confirmation hearings in a bid become the leader of Health and Human Services.