Dozens of Nobel Prize-winning scientists in various fields signed a letter protesting Mr. Trump’s choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Nobel Prize-winning scientists on December 9 sent an open letter to the US Senate protesting President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), citing his lack of qualifications, expertise, and anti-vaccine views.

“Putting Mr. Kennedy in charge of HHS would put public health at risk,” said part of an open letter signed by 77 scientists in the fields of medicine, chemistry, physics and economics.

Mr. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Phoenix, Arizona on August 23. Photo: AFP

Among them is Drew Weissman, who won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work developing mRNA vaccines, a breakthrough in the fight against Covid-19.

“In addition to his lack of expertise and experience in medicine, science, public health, and management, Mr. Kennedy opposes many life-saving and preventive vaccines, such as the measles and polio vaccines,” the letter said. “We urge you to vote against his nomination.”

HHS is the agency that oversees the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as the Medicare and Medicaid programs that provide health insurance to the poor, people age 65 and older, and people with disabilities.

Mr. Kennedy, 70, the grandson of assassinated former U.S. President John F. Kennedy Jr., ran for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year before dropping out and backing Mr. Trump. Mr. Kennedy’s appointment as head of HHS must be approved by the U.S. Senate under the Constitution.

Kennedy Jr. is a prominent climate lawyer who has been criticized for false claims, such as a link between vaccines and autism. He has opposed social distancing measures during the Covid-19 pandemic and has been accused of spreading misinformation about the virus. He also served as president of Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit focused on anti-vaccine messaging.

Kennedy Jr. has said that if he is appointed HHS secretary, he will remove fluoride from tap water in the United States, even though fluoridation has long been considered a major victory against bacteria that cause tooth decay.