An legal professional advising Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized The New York Occasions and different media shops for publishing a declare that the Trump ally needs to eradicate approval for the polio vaccine.
Lawyer Aaron Siri joined Fox Information on Tuesday to make clear his statements after it was broadly reported he suggested Kennedy, who President-elect Trump tapped to steer the Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS), to pause distribution of a number of vaccines.
“It’s completely false to say that the petition sought to revoke the polio vaccine, as if the petition meant to make it in order that Individuals couldn’t get the polio vaccine,” Siri stated. “It was for under one among six licensed polio vaccines.”
Siri famous that he filed a petition on behalf of a separate consumer, not Kennedy, and it was particularly for a “new polio vaccine” licensed in 1990.
Siri went on to defend Kennedy, who has made a number of anti-vaccine feedback previously.
“He doesn’t wish to do away with any vaccines. Mr. Kennedy has made very clear, he simply needs to guarantee that there’s transparency and that there’s correct science,” Siri stated.
After the Occasions’s piece about Siri was launched, Senate Republican Chief Mitch McConnell (Ky.) blasted the concept of eradicating the polio vaccine as “specious disinformation” that may threaten the developments of “lifesaving medical progress.”
McConnell, a polio survivor, warned that the efforts to undermine public confidence in cures is harmful.
Siri argued he and Kennedy need extra testing and analysis into vaccines earlier than the product is licensed, goes available on the market and is “injected into thousands and thousands of infants.”
“That’s all we’re speaking about by way of security. He simply needs security. He needs transparency and he doesn’t wish to deprive individuals of vaccinations,” Siri stated.