Senate Democrats question if Kennedy struck a deal in vaccine lawsuit

Senate Democrats question if Kennedy struck a deal in vaccine lawsuit

A group of Senate Democrats are questioning whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sought a workaround in an ethics agreement after they noticed discrepancies in his financial disclosures .

During his confirmation process last year, Kennedy was still involved in a lawsuit carried out by law firm Wisner Baum against Merck over its HPV vaccine, Gardasil , alleging it caused neurological and autoimmune injuries.

Merck agreed to pay $50 million earlier this year to settle the lawsuit without admitting any guilt, maintaining its product was safe and effective. Wisner Baum confirmed soon after that neither Kennedy nor his son would receive from the settlement, contradicting what the secretary told Congress about how he would handle his divestment.

Kennedy had initially said he would assign his interests in the case to his son, HHS disclosed in May that those interests had been assigned to Wisner Baum — which the firm confirmed.

The discrepancy drew skepticism from Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Ron Wyden (Oreg.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Angela Alsobrooks (Md.).

The lawmakers wrote the modification raised “questions about the conditions and circumstances under which you decided to relinquish the stakes back to Wisner Baum. You have provided no explanation for this change, and you have failed to clarify whether it may entitle you to additional benefits or other considerations from Wisner Baum upon leaving government.”

“Secretary Kennedy fully complied with his ethics agreement and divested his entire financial interest in the Gardasil contingency-fee cases before assuming his duties as Secretary,” HHS Senior Press Secretary Emily Hilliard said in a statement to The Hill.

“He retained no financial interest in those fees, and HHS ethics officials confirmed his compliance to the relevant congressional committees,” she added. “Any claim that Secretary Kennedy maintained a financial interest in this litigation after taking office is false.”

Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter , we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond:

(NewsNation) — Despite decades of research, Alzheimer’s remains one of medicine’s most difficult diseases to treat. Now, a newly identified naturally occurring peptide could provide a new approach to combating it and other neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine discovered the small protein fragment called catestatin, or CST, which they believe could counter many of the key processes that …

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on the Trump administration to spend more than $1 billion of global health funding that Congress has already appropriated before it expires Wednesday. In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Eric Ueland — the Trump aide in charge of the remnants of the U.S. Agency …

Pentagon officials have ramped up their efforts in recent weeks to help Congress carve a path toward President Trump’s record $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request. But some GOP senators are worried the Defense Department deployed its closed-door offensive too late, undercutting its prospects of building a coalition necessary to move the record-breaking defense budget. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) praised the briefers …

Why Generation Z is less likely to view China as a threat

Recent research on American attitudes toward China reveal stark generational divides. When asked if China’s growing presence on the world stage is a “critical threat,” 34 percent of Gen Z respondents agreed, compared to 43 percent of Millennials, according to an August survey from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Older generations were much warier, with 56 percent of Gen X and 62 percent of Boomers concerned …

Local and state headlines on healthcare:

America had wiped out measles. Now babies are infected at birth ( NBC News )

At least five candidates vie to become the next WHO leader , as questions over U.S. role loom ( Stat )

The peptide boom that isn’t about your muscles ( WSJ )

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Nearly 18,000 people work in Mass. marijuana industry. What happens if the repeal ballot question passes? ( Boston Globe )

Florida counties declare states of emergency to battle dengue fever ( WUSF )

Hope Florida led disabled people to dead ends as state misused $10M ( Tampa Bay Times )

Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:

You’re all caught up. See you next week!