Key facts
- US senators are questioning Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s statements regarding his financial stake in Gardasil vaccine litigation.
- Kennedy previously stated he would transfer his interest to his son, but recently claimed no family members received settlement funds.
- Merck settled Gardasil litigation for $50 million earlier this year.
- Kennedy was an attorney in some Gardasil cases before becoming health secretary.
- Senators cited conflicts between Kennedy's ethics filings and his recent statements about the settlement fees.
US senators are scrutinizing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s financial dealings related to Merck's Gardasil vaccine, citing discrepancies between his past statements and recent explanations. A letter from four Democratic senators highlighted that Kennedy's initial assertion of keeping a 10% fee from Gardasil settlement cases, which he later stated he would transfer to his son, conflicts with his recent claim that neither he nor his family received any funds from the $50 million settlement.
Kennedy, who was an attorney in some Gardasil cases before assuming his role as health secretary, has faced pressure regarding potential conflicts of interest, as his department regulates and pays for vaccines. The senators pointed to Kennedy's ethics filings and written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee, which indicated he would transfer his stake to a family member. His recent statement, they argue, suggests his ethics agreement has been modified or disregarded.
Kennedy has publicly accused Senator Elizabeth Warren and media outlets of fabricating lies to discredit him for challenging the pharmaceutical industry. The senators are seeking clarification on why Kennedy certified in an ethics form that he would transfer his stake to a family member if this transfer did not occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends Gardasil for routine immunization in adolescents to prevent HPV-linked cancers.