The second most frustrating aspect of RFK Jr.’s performance as the head of Health and Human Services has been just how predictable the actions he’s taken are. When you start with a simple premise, that Kennedy is a vehement anti-vaxxer, the view that measles is less harmful than the MMR vaccine makes sense. The appointment of other wellness charlatans tracks perfectly. The pulling back on COVID vaccination guidance fits like a puzzle piece. And it should be no surprise that Kennedy decided to fire every single vaccine expert on the ACIP panel to clear the way for his anti-vaxxer views.

But really, truly, the most frustrating part of his reign thus far has been Congress’ complete unwillingness to end this era of malfunction, or in any way attempt to control it. From Kennedy’s nomination hearings all the way to the present, our representatives in Washington have sat back, arms folded, completely disinterested in the very real harm and, yes, deaths that are and will occur due to Kennedy’s incompetence.

But, god damn it, I have to believe that Congress at least might have a problem being lied to directly by Kennedy. And that appears to be what he did when he sent a report to back up his changing of the COVID vaccine guidance. The report is reportedly filled with studies that are either unpublished, under current dispute, or which don’t actually say what he says they say. Misinformation, in other words, fed directly by the HHS Secretary to a Congress that is supposed to oversee his work.

Titled “Covid Recommendation FAQ”, the document has not been posted on the HHS website, though it is the first detailed explanation of Kennedy’s announcement from the agency. Medical experts who reviewed all the citations in the FAQ said it distorts some legitimate studies and cites others that are disputed and unpublished.

One of the studies the HHS document cites is under investigation by its publisher, Sage Journals, regarding “potential issues with the research methodology and conclusions and author conflicts of interest,” according to a link on the study’s webpage.

“This is RFK Jr.’s playbook,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Either cherry-pick from good science or take junk science to support his premise — this has been his playbook for 20 years.”

To that end, there are more issues with the research and studies powering this document of bullshit. Rather than just published studies that are under current dispute, some of the studies cited haven’t even been published yet. That means no peer review. Kennedy has been quite fond recently of the phrase “gold standard science”, as though he just learned it. He doesn’t seem to know what it means, however. Peer reviewed studies are the gold standard in science and medical research, for what should be painfully obviously reasons. Even the NIH’s own site acknowledges this. If your research or paper cannot survive the scrutiny of your peers, how good can it really be?

Other studies, including unpublished studies, are cited in support of the CDC’s new guidance despite those studies explicitly stating that they should not be.

Another study cited in the document is a preprint that was made available online a year ago, and has still not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Under the study’s title is an alert that “it reports new medical research that has yet to be evaluated and so should not be used to guide clinical practice.”

The FAQ draws on the preprint to claim that “post-marketing studies” of COVID vaccines have identified “serious adverse effects, such as an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis” — conditions in which the heart’s muscle or its covering, the pericardium, suffer inflammation.

While research early in the pandemic did find that, new research not included in the memo indicates that the risk has fallen with new vaccine protocols.

More cherry picking, it seems, along with a complete disregard for the very researchers that performed the research as to how it is used. Kennedy recently claimed his HHS would follow the science and scientists wherever the data leads. He is not, because it doesn’t conform to his agenda.

And then there are the bald-faced lies.

In two instances, the HHS memo makes claims about dangers to pregnant women that are actively refuted by the papers it cites to back them up. Both papers support the safety and effectiveness of COVID vaccines for pregnant women.

The HHS document says that another paper it cites found “an increase in placental blood clotting in pregnant mothers who took the vaccine.” But the paper doesn’t contain any reference to placental blood clots or to pregnant women.

“I’ve now read it three times. And I cannot find that anywhere,” said Turrentine, the OB-GYN professor.

If he were grading the HHS document, “I would give this an ‘F,'” Turrentine said. “This is not supported by anything and it’s not using medical evidence.”

Folks, there ought to be zero instances of our government operating on lies when it comes to creating policy. But that’s all this is. An agenda-driven madman heading up HHS changing policy and programs with a wave of a hand to comport with his misguided agenda, all while it’s being supported by either AI-generated slop or whatever the hell this FAQ-of-lies is.

So, to members of Congress on one side of the political aisle, I merely ask this: have you no pride? You’re okay with being spoon-fed lies from a former democrat simply because Dear Leader says so? You’re okay with having blood on your hands as a result of your inability to do your job performing oversight? You’re okay with being the useful idiot in Kennedy’s agenda?

From Techdirt via this RSS feed