Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services testifies during his Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions confirmation hearing. Image credit: Getty Images / Kevin Dietsch

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr) has claimed that “China will be able to ransom medical health” in America due to its hold on drug manufacturing during his high-profile confirmation hearing.

During the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee meeting held on Thursday (30 January), the nominee for the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Trump administration said that it was vital for the US to take back control of drug manufacturing.

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Kennedy said: “This is a huge priority for President Trump. It is perhaps our greatest national security vulnerability and over the past few years so much of our critical medicine production and supply chains have been moved to China. This is a crisis in our country. If there is a pandemic, if there is a war or any conflict, China will now be able to ransom American health and that is not a good situation. We need to bring that production home and President Trump is committed to doing just that.”

This comes soon after the BIOSECURE Act, widely seen as a law that targets China-based pharma manufacturers like Wuxi Biologics, WuXi AppTec and more, was excluded from the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025 that was put forth for Senate approval in early December.

The BIOSECURE act was expected to be a part of the NDAA after it was passed by the House of Representatives in September 2024. The act seeks to prohibit federal agencies from contracting with or providing funding to any company working with a “biotechnology company of concern”.

Medicare & Medicaid, vaccines and obesity drugs also discussed

Senators grilled Kennedy on several topics as part of the nomination hearings, including his stance on vaccines, which was also raised yesterday (29 January). Kennedy stated he is not “anti-vaccine” in yesterday’s session, and added today that he would continue to evaluate safety and efficacy of all vaccines.

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Addressing Kennedy in today’s hearing, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said: “Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me. I have constituents who partly credit you for their decision to not vaccinate their child…..You have cast doubt on some of these vaccines, but the data has been there for a long time.”

Another concern raised in today’s committee was Kennedy’s “lack of knowledge” about Medicare and Medicaid, both of which would come under the aegis of the Department of the Health and Human Services, which Kennedy has been nominated to lead.  

Kennedy incorrectly stated Medicare Part A is “mainly for primary care or physicians,” while it covers seniors’ inpatient hospital care. On Medicare Part B, Kennedy said “it’s for physicians and doctors,” but Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan clarified it is for outpatient care and home health. On Medicare Part C, Kennedy said it’s for “the full menu of all the services A, B, C and D” but Hassan corrected him that it is for Medicare Advantage, which includes Medicare Part A and Part B.

Kennedy also shared his views on glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists (GLP-1RAs) at the hearing. He said: “The GLP class of drugs are miracle drugs, but I do not think they should be the first front line intervention for six-year-old kids. That is the standard of practice now”

Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of obesity in children 12 years of age or older. It has not been approved anywhere globally for children under the age of 12. Eli Lilly’s Zepbound is not approved in children of any age.

Frequently asked questions

  • What was RFK Jr, asked about in the Senate HELP Committee?

    Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., also known by his initials RFK Jr., was questioned on a number of topics during the Senate HELP Committee meeting including his view on Chinese drug manufacturing, his view on vaccines, his opinion on GLP-1RA drugs and his knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid.

  • Who is RFK Jr.?

    Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician and is the nominee for United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in President Donald Trump's second cabinet.