I am very concerned about measles now and flu in the fall. RFK is totally without qualifications for the position he holds -no medical training , no understanding of how human research is done.
There should be minimum qualifications for the job he holds.
His only qualifications are his last name and his support of the president.
You could not be more correct. And look at this from a New Yorker article . . . "Like many prominent figures in the wellness movement, however, Kennedy has also advocated for dubious solutions to the chronic-disease crisis. He is a proponent of using beef tallow over seed oils such as corn and canola. Last October, in a post on X that depicted his father, Robert F. Kennedy, eating a hamburger, Kennedy wrote that “seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic.” Most experts say that seed oils are not a serious health risk. Kennedy has also said that he wants to end the F.D.A.’s “aggressive suppression” of, among other things, raw milk—which can carry pathogens, including bird flu—and the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, two discredited supposed treatments for COVID-19."
The dark side added to incompetence is frightening.
His odd behaviors and conflicting statements over the years suggest that he is not driven by either logical thought or concern about the general welfare. I doubt he has any coherent position at all. He's probably pro-vaxx when convenient, anti-vaxx when he's feeling paranoid or he can gain some power with that position.
Ed, you are being more than fair and offering a chance for him to correct path. Sadly he won’t. The damage left behind in his wake will be horrible and the unnecessary loss of health will be unspeakable. The health of children and adults are not playthings. Arguing so many debunked theories is such a fools errand, run by he whose legacy will be court jester.
Well said, Leslie. I agree, that the health of our nation, maybe the world, is in danger. Secretary Kennedy is dangerous as our the disingenuous, dishonest sycophants like Senator Cassidy of LA.
Humans inherently resist learning from history, as the benefits of hindsight are lost in the absence of emotionally personal experience. Sadly, my firsthand experience with a dystopian, Orwellian system during my youth gives me a unique lens to examine today’s unfolding events. My conclusion? Unfortunately, we are collectively experiencing a painfully and chaotically disruptive period in our history with no indication of a reversal in sight.
Thank you, Ed, for your timely response to illogical policies. We have 46 months left under this administration, and perhaps even longer, depending on our voting society. With the "Right-Wing" populism dominating current events, I can only prepare for what else is to come given our current trending body politics and the Zeitgeist of our times, which I view as a recurring cycle, along the philosophy of Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction," a period of transformation and disruption.
I share your concerns, Werner, particularly with regard to the health of our country. The HHS leader lacks qualifications and overlays his unscientific stance with dark, bizarre "thoughts"
As a doctor, Dr. Ed, you know more than anyone that measles, should you not die, can cause damage to the brain, eyes, and ears. Today I read of a second measles-related death in Texas, this time an adult. This is just so unneccessary. How do we tell Bobby K. that it is now his job to publicly advise all residents of Texas to receive a measles vaccination? My story is that I had measles at the age of four, which was followed by two to three years of painful ear infections, so bad that I missed nearly half of first grade. My mother would put warm ear drops in my ears and then plugged my ears with cotton. Not much else could be done as I was allergic to sulfa drugs. Already by age five in kindergarten, my hearing difficulties were well-known. I could hear, thank goodness, but not very well. I saw numerous doctors and had lots of hearing tests, and they even removed my adenoids (grabbed my tonsils at the same time) - twice - as the adenoids grew back a few years later. Somehow the ear infections mostly calmed down by second grade. The hearing loss also affected my speech so I had years of speech therapy. While the doctors in those days (the 1940s) said that while they could not prove it, they believed my hearing loss was a consequence of the measles. And now in the year 2025, Bobby Kennedy is Secretary of Health & Human Services “protecting” Americans by being, as a start, an anti-vaxer? How did this happen? And never mind his dumping a dead bear in Central Park as a joke AND by driving from the Cape to NY with a whale's head on top of the car. Can you imagine him driving, most probably on 195, through Providence? NOAA closed its 2024 investigation into that for lack of evidence but his daughter said he used a chain saw to cut the head off of the dead whale? Ugh. Sigh. Oh, by the way, my older brother suffered an almost lifelong hearing loss, too, after the measles which we both had at the same time.....but he didn't have all the ear infections and because he was six years older, his speech patterns were already set.
Dory, it is a pleasure to hear from you and to learn of your graphic story. You are absolutely correct; vaccination is the only answer to saving lives and the consequences of this virus. The Secretary has not been forceful enough in recommending the vaccine. Now, I see that he dumped Vitamin A into the mix.
The best we can do, Dory, is to sing out, publicize the facts, and push for a more qualified Director.
Your comments keep me on track. I'll keep pushing. Thank you.
Being "older than dirt," I remember being hospitalized for having a case of internal measles that caused me to be in an adult isolation room at ten year old because I was too old to be in the infant section that had an isolation ward. I remember my mother taking me to a friend's house to play, knowing the child has measles, but the thought back then was to contract the disease to avoid childhood diseases before adulthood. I'm not sure how much I was in danger, but I do know that vaccinations prevent diseases and death. I hope vaccinations become mandatory again, but fear it will take more children deaths before appropriate actions are taken by this government.
Larry, I would say you have experience rather than being older than dirt. Once there were measles parties to pass the infection from one kid to another. Not a good idea. Measles is dangerous. Vaccinations are critical. Secretary Kennedy is a problem. Remember, he reputedly oversees the health of 70,000,000 children in our country.
I, also, am concerned about “blanket” statements re. vaccines and/or any other health related issue.
I do think a great deal of skepticism resulted from Covid vaccines…Fauci etal lost a great deal of respect and that may be the lynchpin against vaccines.
I think time will tell, but I am aware of your perspective and why…you are a science based physician….
We’ll see….I am cautiously optimistic in that a reset may be in order….
Thank you, Ed. I agree that a host of people . . . Dr. Fauci, the FDA, the CDC, and the President . . . blew it during COVID. I doubt that Secretary Kennedy has learned from it, or will listen to those that have. We'll see. He's floundering so far.
Spot on Dr Ed. I feel sorry for those that choose to ignore vaccines for that not only may put them at risk but all those around them. I'll continue to follow science with regards to vaccination. JCY
Wonderful factual essay. Thanks for the research and the time you put into informing us. Would it be a good idea for me to get a measles booster shot? Or is a childhood shot good for life? Hoping a flu shot is available this fall.
Thank you, Carol. Here are the guidelines for adults
. . . While most people have protection that lasts for life after getting vaccinated in early childhood, people born after 1957 but vaccinated before 1968 should consider a booster shot
For a while I’ve wondered if the end game of this administration is to just kill us all off, but then- who would the king rule over???
Hi, some unsavory characters have already tried that in the last century. But we humans like to repeat history, at least make attempts at it.
We have difficulty learning from past mistakes
Rather frightening, isn't it, Mary?
Absolutely is!
I am very concerned about measles now and flu in the fall. RFK is totally without qualifications for the position he holds -no medical training , no understanding of how human research is done.
There should be minimum qualifications for the job he holds.
His only qualifications are his last name and his support of the president.
You could not be more correct. And look at this from a New Yorker article . . . "Like many prominent figures in the wellness movement, however, Kennedy has also advocated for dubious solutions to the chronic-disease crisis. He is a proponent of using beef tallow over seed oils such as corn and canola. Last October, in a post on X that depicted his father, Robert F. Kennedy, eating a hamburger, Kennedy wrote that “seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic.” Most experts say that seed oils are not a serious health risk. Kennedy has also said that he wants to end the F.D.A.’s “aggressive suppression” of, among other things, raw milk—which can carry pathogens, including bird flu—and the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, two discredited supposed treatments for COVID-19."
The dark side added to incompetence is frightening.
His odd behaviors and conflicting statements over the years suggest that he is not driven by either logical thought or concern about the general welfare. I doubt he has any coherent position at all. He's probably pro-vaxx when convenient, anti-vaxx when he's feeling paranoid or he can gain some power with that position.
I agree, Elena. He does not have a coherent position because of his fixed, false beliefs. Rather frightening. He needs to be the first to go!
Ed, you are being more than fair and offering a chance for him to correct path. Sadly he won’t. The damage left behind in his wake will be horrible and the unnecessary loss of health will be unspeakable. The health of children and adults are not playthings. Arguing so many debunked theories is such a fools errand, run by he whose legacy will be court jester.
Well said, Leslie. I agree, that the health of our nation, maybe the world, is in danger. Secretary Kennedy is dangerous as our the disingenuous, dishonest sycophants like Senator Cassidy of LA.
A former physician. Gad.
https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-delivers-floor-speech-in-support-of-rfk-jr-to-be-hhs-secretary/?fbclid=IwY2xjawI_0oZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcF-zWijzYdOlffSHl4ufFDgEblfL16YFNLGPpcAHT2FbS4bTy2mt7Rv9Q_aem_ZYq-TR2isadb6NtAxFWgYw
Humans inherently resist learning from history, as the benefits of hindsight are lost in the absence of emotionally personal experience. Sadly, my firsthand experience with a dystopian, Orwellian system during my youth gives me a unique lens to examine today’s unfolding events. My conclusion? Unfortunately, we are collectively experiencing a painfully and chaotically disruptive period in our history with no indication of a reversal in sight.
Disruptive to say the least, Werner.
Thank you, Ed, for your timely response to illogical policies. We have 46 months left under this administration, and perhaps even longer, depending on our voting society. With the "Right-Wing" populism dominating current events, I can only prepare for what else is to come given our current trending body politics and the Zeitgeist of our times, which I view as a recurring cycle, along the philosophy of Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction," a period of transformation and disruption.
I share your concerns, Werner, particularly with regard to the health of our country. The HHS leader lacks qualifications and overlays his unscientific stance with dark, bizarre "thoughts"
As a doctor, Dr. Ed, you know more than anyone that measles, should you not die, can cause damage to the brain, eyes, and ears. Today I read of a second measles-related death in Texas, this time an adult. This is just so unneccessary. How do we tell Bobby K. that it is now his job to publicly advise all residents of Texas to receive a measles vaccination? My story is that I had measles at the age of four, which was followed by two to three years of painful ear infections, so bad that I missed nearly half of first grade. My mother would put warm ear drops in my ears and then plugged my ears with cotton. Not much else could be done as I was allergic to sulfa drugs. Already by age five in kindergarten, my hearing difficulties were well-known. I could hear, thank goodness, but not very well. I saw numerous doctors and had lots of hearing tests, and they even removed my adenoids (grabbed my tonsils at the same time) - twice - as the adenoids grew back a few years later. Somehow the ear infections mostly calmed down by second grade. The hearing loss also affected my speech so I had years of speech therapy. While the doctors in those days (the 1940s) said that while they could not prove it, they believed my hearing loss was a consequence of the measles. And now in the year 2025, Bobby Kennedy is Secretary of Health & Human Services “protecting” Americans by being, as a start, an anti-vaxer? How did this happen? And never mind his dumping a dead bear in Central Park as a joke AND by driving from the Cape to NY with a whale's head on top of the car. Can you imagine him driving, most probably on 195, through Providence? NOAA closed its 2024 investigation into that for lack of evidence but his daughter said he used a chain saw to cut the head off of the dead whale? Ugh. Sigh. Oh, by the way, my older brother suffered an almost lifelong hearing loss, too, after the measles which we both had at the same time.....but he didn't have all the ear infections and because he was six years older, his speech patterns were already set.
Dory, it is a pleasure to hear from you and to learn of your graphic story. You are absolutely correct; vaccination is the only answer to saving lives and the consequences of this virus. The Secretary has not been forceful enough in recommending the vaccine. Now, I see that he dumped Vitamin A into the mix.
The best we can do, Dory, is to sing out, publicize the facts, and push for a more qualified Director.
Your comments keep me on track. I'll keep pushing. Thank you.
Being "older than dirt," I remember being hospitalized for having a case of internal measles that caused me to be in an adult isolation room at ten year old because I was too old to be in the infant section that had an isolation ward. I remember my mother taking me to a friend's house to play, knowing the child has measles, but the thought back then was to contract the disease to avoid childhood diseases before adulthood. I'm not sure how much I was in danger, but I do know that vaccinations prevent diseases and death. I hope vaccinations become mandatory again, but fear it will take more children deaths before appropriate actions are taken by this government.
Larry, I would say you have experience rather than being older than dirt. Once there were measles parties to pass the infection from one kid to another. Not a good idea. Measles is dangerous. Vaccinations are critical. Secretary Kennedy is a problem. Remember, he reputedly oversees the health of 70,000,000 children in our country.
I, also, am concerned about “blanket” statements re. vaccines and/or any other health related issue.
I do think a great deal of skepticism resulted from Covid vaccines…Fauci etal lost a great deal of respect and that may be the lynchpin against vaccines.
I think time will tell, but I am aware of your perspective and why…you are a science based physician….
We’ll see….I am cautiously optimistic in that a reset may be in order….
Be well..Dr. Ed….
Thank you, Ed. I agree that a host of people . . . Dr. Fauci, the FDA, the CDC, and the President . . . blew it during COVID. I doubt that Secretary Kennedy has learned from it, or will listen to those that have. We'll see. He's floundering so far.
AGREE!
Spot on Dr Ed. I feel sorry for those that choose to ignore vaccines for that not only may put them at risk but all those around them. I'll continue to follow science with regards to vaccination. JCY
Secretary Kennedy is a major problem.
Such alarming information; yet necessary awareness for all. Thanks for the facts and your professional input. Lora
Thank you, Lora
Hi Ed,
Wonderful factual essay. Thanks for the research and the time you put into informing us. Would it be a good idea for me to get a measles booster shot? Or is a childhood shot good for life? Hoping a flu shot is available this fall.
Carol Tihen
Thank you, Carol. Here are the guidelines for adults
. . . While most people have protection that lasts for life after getting vaccinated in early childhood, people born after 1957 but vaccinated before 1968 should consider a booster shot
Thank you, Ed, for keeping us informed. Much appreciated.
Thank you, Ed. I have great concern for the health of our citizens. The more I research The Secretary, the more wary I become. He's dangerous.
Ed, nothing to debate. You made an excellent presentation! Sad, very SAD.
He has the health of our citizens at huge risk, and I am concerned.
We all should be!
Thanks, Ed. You're a voice of reason even when the news is alarming.
Thank you, Luther. I'm trying to be objective, but the more research I do, the more frightened I am of The Director's non-direction.
Just a note. There are 73,000,000 kids under his "watch."