Washington – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has formally requested that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explain apparent inconsistencies in his disclosures about a $50 million settlement with Merck over the Gardasil vaccine. The inquiry, detailed in a letter reviewed by Reuters, highlights differences between the secretary’s recent social‑media statements and the written testimony and ethics filings he submitted last year.
Background on the settlement
Earlier this year Merck agreed to pay $50 million to resolve litigation related to Gardasil, a vaccine that prevents cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Before joining the Department of Health and Human Services, Kennedy was an attorney for plaintiffs in several Gardasil cases and held a financial interest in any settlement proceeds.
Initial promises and later revisions
During his confirmation process, Kennedy told senators he intended to retain a 10 percent fee from any Gardasil settlement that he referred to the Wisner Baum law firm, which represents many of the plaintiffs. After concerns were raised—particularly by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts—Kennedy said he would transfer that interest to his son.
In a recent social‑media post, Kennedy asserted that neither he nor any family member has received “a penny” from the settlement and that he had relinquished any claim to the fees back to the Wisner Baum firm. He also accused Senator Warren and several media outlets of “inventing lies” to damage his reputation for confronting the pharmaceutical industry.
Senators’ latest request
The four‑senator letter, signed by Senator Warren and three other Democrats, points to Kennedy’s ethics filings and written answers to the Senate Finance Committee, which indicated he would hand any Gardasil fees to his son. The senators’ staff found no subsequent filings that contradict that earlier statement.
According to the letter, Kennedy’s recent claim that no family member received money suggests that his earlier disclosures are no longer accurate and may reflect a modification—or abandonment—of his original ethics agreement.
Implications for vaccine policy
Lawmakers are also probing why Kennedy has not formally recused himself from Department of Health and Human Services decisions involving Gardasil or broader vaccine‑related policy. As the head of the agency that oversees vaccine regulation and funding, his potential financial stake raises questions about impartiality.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend Gardasil as a routine immunization for 11‑ and 12‑year‑olds to prevent cervical and other HPV‑linked cancers. Earlier this year the CDC attempted to shift its guidance to a single‑dose schedule, a move later blocked by a federal judge.
Department response
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When later approached about the senators’ letter, the spokesperson referred to Kennedy’s earlier social‑media posting but offered no additional details.
The ongoing dialogue underscores the heightened scrutiny of public officials’ financial interests, especially when those interests intersect with public‑health decisions that affect families across the nation.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
