Key Takeaways:
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made claims about vaccines that experts say are misleading and harmful.
- He falsely stated that 97% of vaccine advisers are influenced by money and that children receive 92 mandatory shots.
- Experts say today’s vaccines are safer and more efficient than ever, with rigorous testing and monitoring systems in place.
- Vaccine schedules have saved millions of lives and prevented countless illnesses.
Do Kids Really Get 92 Mandatory Shots?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently claimed that children receive 92 mandatory shots. This number is not accurate. In reality, the childhood vaccine schedule includes around 50 injections to protect against 16 diseases. State laws typically require 30 to 32 shots for school entry, and no state mandates COVID-19 vaccination.
In 1986, kids received about 11 doses to protect against seven diseases. Despite the increase in shots over the years, the number of harmful substances in vaccines, like antigens, has actually dropped dramatically. Antigens are the parts of vaccines that trigger an immune response. In 1986, vaccines exposed kids to over 3,000 antigens. Today, that number is around 165—a 95% reduction.
This improvement is thanks to better vaccine technology. For example, some vaccines use tiny amounts of aluminum to boost the immune response, so fewer antigens are needed. Even with more vaccines, children’s immune systems are not overwhelmed.
Vaccines Are Rigorously Tested
Kennedy also claimed that only COVID-19 vaccines were tested against placebos, which is false. A placebo is a dummy treatment with no real medicine. Hundreds of vaccine trials, including those for polio, HPV, and flu vaccines, have used placebos to test safety and effectiveness.
For example, the 1954 polio vaccine trial involved over 600,000 children and used a saltwater placebo. Modern vaccines go through strict testing, and their safety is continuously monitored after they’re approved.
The U.S. has systems like the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System to track any potential side effects. These systems have helped detect and address rare safety issues, like the recall of the first rotavirus vaccine in 1999.
The Safety of Vaccines Is Well Understood
Kennedy has said that “nobody has any idea” how safe vaccines are. This is not true. Decades of research and hundreds of studies have shown that vaccines are safe.
Vaccines have prevented millions of illnesses and saved thousands of lives. For example:
- Haemophilus influenzae type b infections in infants have dropped by 99%.
- Hepatitis infections in kids are down by over 90%.
- Chickenpox hospitalizations have decreased by about 90%.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccines given to children from 1994 to 2023 will prevent 508 million illnesses and 1.1 million deaths.
Conflict of Interest Claims Aren’t Accurate
Kennedy has accused 97% of vaccine advisers of having conflicts of interest with drug companies. This claim is based on a 2009 audit of CDC advisory committees, but that audit didn’t focus specifically on vaccine advisers. It also found no major wrongdoing—most issues were minor paperwork errors.
When reporters looked at the payments, most committee members received little or no money from drugmakers. Six members got no more than $80 over seven years, and four received no payments at all. The rest had minor payments for things like travel or consulting.
Vaccines Protect the Immune System
Kennedy has warned that vaccines cause “immune deregulation,” a term that has no scientific basis. Vaccines don’t harm the immune system—they train it to fight diseases.
In fact, the diseases vaccines prevent are the real threats to the immune system. For example:
- Measles can wipe out immune memory, making kids vulnerable to other infections.
- COVID-19 can cause dangerous inflammatory syndromes in children.
- Chronic hepatitis B can damage organs.
By preventing these diseases, vaccines actually protect the immune system.
The Bottom Line
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims about vaccines are not supported by facts. Vaccines have been proven safe and effective through decades of research and testing. They’ve saved millions of lives and prevented countless suffering.
As someone who oversees U.S. health agencies, Kennedy’s misleading statements could harm public trust in vaccines. But the evidence is clear: vaccines work, and they’re safer than ever.
This article was written to provide a clear, fact-based overview of vaccine safety and testing, addressing common misconceptions spread by public figures.