Wyden, Finance Democrats Urge Crapo to Investigate Kennedy on Anti-Vax Actions and Conflicts of Interests

Wyden, Finance Democrats Urge Crapo to Investigate Kennedy on Anti-Vax Actions and Conflicts of Interests

Text of the Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., led a group of committee members in a call to Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to launch a fact-based, bipartisan investigation into Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for his repeated anti-vaccine actions and conflicts of interests.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has long been considered the nation's premier voice on vaccine recommendations. Kennedy fired all 17 ACIP members in June and replaced them with vaccine deniers and alarmists who threaten to put vaccines out of reach for American children and families. Kennedy also upended ACIP's regular working process, and these actions are already denying access to Americans who want the COVID-19 vaccine.

In the letter to Crapo, the members underscored, "Secretary Kennedy's actions put the health and safety of the American people at risk, and Congress must get to the bottom of how he is making decisions related to vaccines and whether his testimony to our Committee aligns with the facts and evidence. We strongly urge the Committee to carry out a bipartisan investigation into Kennedy's actions and conflicts of interest. Given the severity of these matters and their bearing on the health and safety of children and families, this investigation should be prioritized by the Majority and begin without delay."

Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Mark Warner, D-Va., Michel Bennet, D-Colo., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., joined Wyden on the letter.

Kennedy's actions could cause vaccine manufacturers to exit the market, raise prices and reduce vaccine access for everyone. Under his leadership, ACIP has sown doubts about the safety of vaccines and taken steps that increase out-of-pocket costs for people trying to get vaccinated. His anti-vaccine actions stand in stark contrast to the commitments Kennedy made to Finance Committee members during his confirmation process. For example, since his confirmation:

1. Kennedy claimed that former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Susan Monarez lied about his demands that she pre-approves vaccines without clinical evidence.
2. Reports suggested that Kennedy excluded CDC scientists and replaced them with his own political appointees in the vaccine decision-making process.
3. Two of Kennedy's hand-picked ACIP members were paid expert witnesses in a litigation against Merck. One of them even worked on litigation related to the HPV vaccine, which Kennedy himself was involved with, and his family still retains a financial interest in.
4. Kennedy awarded a $250,000 grant to a law firm with a partner known for his work on litigation related to the HPV vaccine.

Wyden and Finance Committee Democrats have been demanding consistent, accurate information regarding Kennedy's priorities for U.S. health care since before he was sworn in as secretary. In March 2025, Wyden challenged Kennedy's conflicts of interest with Big Pharma companies. In August, Wyden demanded an end to secrecy and chaos involving Kennedy at the HHS. In September, Wyden continued to build the corruption case against Kennedy following his erratic hearing.

The letter text is available here.

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