As a pharmacist, I have been alarmed by RFK Jr.’s statements about vaccines. For example, he has repeatedly claimed that vaccines cause autism. The first suggestion of a link between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) came from a study of 12 children published in The Lancet, a respected London medical journal. In the scientific community, a small study like this one can open the door for larger studies, which may confirm or refute the smaller study’s findings. In this case, many large, well-designed studies conducted in multiple countries have found no causal link between autism and the MMR vaccine. One of the best studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed over 500,000 children in Denmark for seven years and found the risk of autism in children who received the MMR vaccine was the same as the risk in unvaccinated children. These higher-quality studies, along with the discovery of medical misconduct by the original study’s authors, led The Lancet to retract the original small study.

If RFK Jr. was confirmed, it might not have a huge impact on American perception of vaccines as the falsehoods he pedals have been around for a long time. However, he could reduce or eliminate funding for the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free or low-cost vaccines for Medicaid, uninsured, under-insured and Native American children. Decreased vaccinations among our most-vulnerable populations would lead to outbreaks and deaths as was seen in Samoa in 2019. A visit from RFK Jr. and false information from his nonprofit Children’s Health Defense contributed to a measles outbreak that infected 5,700 people and killed 83 people, mostly young children.

RFK Jr. has also suggested that fluoride should be removed from our country’s drinking water, listing a slew of side effects that are known to occur with fluoride at inappropriately high doses. In medicine, it is very important to understand that the dosage size of a substance will determine its consequences. For example, potassium and iron are both essential for our bodies to function properly, but either one can be deadly in overdose. Likewise, fluoride has been shown to prevent cavities at lower doses while causing tooth discoloration at higher doses. Fluoride at levels greater than 1.5 milligrams per liter have been associated with bone fractures, thyroid disease and nervous system damage.

It is illogical to dismiss the usefulness of a substance at appropriate doses because of its potential to cause harm at high doses. I support a community’s right to make decisions about water fluoridation, but these decisions should be based on careful reflection about scientific facts and not blatant hyperbole.

RFK Jr. says that he simply wants more information so that better decisions about health care can be made, but as illustrated in the above examples, the information is already there. He simply chooses to ignore well-established facts. He presents himself as a crusader for health while padding his own wallet through legal work fueled by his falsehoods. It is outrageous that he is being considered to lead our invaluable scientific agencies.

The balance of powers created in our Constitution is truly inspired, and I ask U.S. senators to appropriately check the power of the executive branch by only voting to confirm nominees that have been thoroughly vetted, show integrity and are qualified to do the jobs to which they have been appointed. It is clear that RFK Jr. is lacking in basic medical understanding and could do real harm if confirmed as secretary of Health and Human Services. Hopefully, our system of checks and balances will prevail.

Stacy Hall, of Heber City, is a registered pharmacist.