The Senate is currently considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the role of health secretary, which would place him in charge of overseeing the FDA. If confirmed, Kennedy could potentially intervene in the FDA’s review of petitions, including those filed by Aaron Siri, a lawyer with strong ties to Kennedy.
Siri has been an outspoken critic of vaccines, leading efforts to challenge the approval and distribution of various vaccines, including the polio vaccine, which has long been credited with preventing a deadly virus that causes paralysis and death.
Siri’s legal campaign against vaccines extends beyond the polio vaccine. He has filed petitions with the FDA to revoke approvals for not just the polio vaccine but also vaccines for hepatitis B, and he is seeking to pause the distribution of 13 other vaccines.
These actions are part of his broader efforts to raise concerns about the safety of vaccines, particularly focusing on the inclusion of aluminum in vaccines and its potential link to health issues like asthma. Siri’s legal work has also included challenging COVID-19 vaccine mandates and suing federal agencies for information related to vaccine approvals.
Siri represents the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), a nonprofit organization that is closely aligned with Kennedy. Kennedy has previously worked with Siri on various vaccine-related initiatives and has shown interest in having him take a top legal role in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, Siri has indicated that he may wield more influence from outside the government, through his law firm, Siri & Glimstad, which employs numerous professionals dedicated to vaccine-related legal cases.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr
While Kennedy has publicly stated that he does not want to take vaccines away from those who choose to receive them, his partnership with Siri has raised concerns among public health experts. Many are wary of the influence Siri may have on vaccine policy under a potential Kennedy-led HHS. Given that Kennedy has worked closely with Siri in shaping health policy decisions, the two are likely to push for greater scrutiny of vaccines, a move that could undermine public trust in vaccination programs.
Siri’s influence also extends to the selection of other key health officials, as he and Kennedy are reportedly questioning candidates about their views on vaccines. This could be a sign that vaccine policy will be a major area of focus under Kennedy’s leadership at HHS. Siri’s actions, including his petitions to the FDA, reflect his broader stance that vaccines should be more rigorously questioned and subjected to further scrutiny.
One of the most controversial aspects of Siri’s legal work is his petition to withdraw the polio vaccine. He has argued that the vaccine has not been tested adequately, specifically pointing to the absence of placebo-controlled clinical trials. This argument has been met with strong opposition from public health experts, who emphasize the real-world risks of polio, which has the potential to cause paralysis or death. Some experts argue that Siri’s focus on theoretical risks could detract from the proven benefits of vaccines.
Siri’s critiques of vaccine safety are often detailed, and he has managed to gain recognition from some within the vaccine safety community. For instance, Daniel Salmon of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety acknowledged that some of Siri’s concerns, such as the potential risks associated with aluminum in vaccines, are worth exploring further. However, he cautioned that this should be done carefully and based on sound scientific evidence, rather than pushing an agenda that may deepen vaccine hesitancy.
Critics of Siri, including leading vaccine scientists like Dr. Stanley Plotkin, warn that his efforts could harm public health by promoting skepticism about vaccines. Plotkin, who helped develop vaccines that have saved countless lives, argues that Siri’s approach to questioning vaccine safety is not grounded in evidence and could lead to a rise in vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr
These critics argue that Siri’s tactics, such as subjecting scientists to lengthy depositions and promoting conspiracy theories, are damaging to the integrity of the scientific community.
Siri’s legal career has included notable victories for vaccine opponents, including successfully challenging vaccination requirements for schoolchildren and securing religious exemptions for vaccine mandates. He has also worked on cases involving COVID-19 vaccine mandates, achieving success in some instances. His rise to prominence in the vaccine-skeptic movement has been supported financially by Del Bigtree, the founder of ICAN, who has funded Siri’s legal efforts.
One of the more controversial cases Siri worked on was related to autism and the MMR vaccine. Siri and Kennedy were involved in a lawsuit accusing a doctor of malpractice for administering a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to a child, claiming that it caused autism. The case ultimately lost, but it highlighted Siri’s ongoing efforts to challenge the scientific consensus on vaccine safety.
Siri’s work has extended beyond litigation, including significant challenges to government transparency. He has pushed for greater access to records related to vaccine approvals, including a lawsuit against the FDA that forced the agency to release millions of pages of documents related to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Critics argue that this effort is part of a strategy to overwhelm public health agencies with paperwork, hindering their ability to function effectively.
Aaron Siri’s legal campaign against vaccines, particularly his efforts to challenge the approval and distribution of the polio vaccine, has gained significant attention, especially as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks confirmation as health secretary.
While Siri’s work is supported by some within the vaccine-skeptic community, it has raised alarm among public health experts, who warn that his influence could undermine the progress made in controlling vaccine-preventable diseases. With Kennedy potentially overseeing the FDA and Siri’s influence on health policy growing, the future of vaccine regulation could be at a critical juncture.
