"He will be opposed at every turn. He may get one or two things done, and then the wheels of the system will stop him, sue him, halt him, and grind him down."
Like they have for the last 20 years? Seriously. He's used to it. And he's a lawyer.
I understand why Big Pharma gets a bad rap, but what about Big Insurance? Why haven’t we heard boo from RFK or anyone else in Trumps inner circle about ‘going after Big Insurance’? Pharmaceuticals only account for approx 10% of healthcare spend.
Re: insurance, I'd like to see someone go after the 80/20 rule that was included as part of the ACA too. It creates horrible incentives toward increasing premiums and spending on useless procedures.
If RFK Jr does everything on Vinay’s list of nine things, that, to me, would constitute a monumental achievement, about which I would be thrilled. I’m looking forward to changes at the USDA as well and seeing who is in charge there. The appointment of Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms as an advisor to the head of the USDA is encouraging. Exciting times that hold much promise for positive change!
RFKjr has been pushing this boulder up the hill for almost 20 years. the man doesn't quit and won't be worn down. he is committed to this; he prays about it everyday. nothing is as important to him as the health of america's children.
i also think that Trump is at the peak of his power. the senate will fall in line and approve his nominations.
finally, you said this: "I think it must be remembered that the recent origin of anti-vaccine sentiment did not start with RFK Jr. It started with Fauci and Walensky and Biden." you're pretty new to this so you can be forgiven for getting it wrong. ask any mother of a damaged child who was dismissed by her arrogant doctor and told that the seizure following a well baby visit, after which her child changed over night, was simply coincidence.
as a college psych major in 1972, i was taught that autism was caused by a cold unfeeling mother, a schizophrenogenic mother (note, that there were no schizophrenogenic fathers) who even if she protested that she loved and wanted her child, was told by the generally male "expert" (who knew her better than she knew herself) that her unconscious mind rejected the child no matter how much she "thought" she wanted it.
this thinking provided lots of fathers with just the excuse they needed to get out of a bad situation. the mothers couldn't walk away.
remember that autism was very rare back then and it accelerated a few years after the 1986 national childhood vaccine act which indemnified any vaccines on the childhood schedule and led to a gold rush to vaccinate for everything.
in 1976, my cousin's wife took the recommended, but not mandated or otherwise coerced, swine flu vaccine and spent the following year in a wheelchair. i've taken my chances with the flu ever since. i can't even blame my vaccine skepticism on fauci since it predates the beginning of his reign by 8 years.
the mothers of these children knew what they knew, no matter what doctors, experts or data said. eventually, they found RFKjr and decided that he was "the one" to carry their cause forward. they targeted him and eventually sent Sarah Bridges, the mother of a damaged child who had won her case in vaccine court (her son is supported by us taxpayers) as a delegate. she handed him an 18" stack of research papers and said she wouldn't leave until he read them. he got two inches down when he realized that the entire childhood vaccine program was a money making scam. he spoke out and was pilloried for it. he could have continued on as the most celebrated environmental lawyer on the planet but he could not unsee what he saw. he will not be stopped.
The media (CNN, MSNBC, NYTIMES, Stat and AXIOS) have already started the smearing and sneering game. I agree a more center of the road approach, initially, is the way to go. Reform the vaccine safety surveillance system reporting to start with.
Trump's popularity is higher than ever despite the massive array of opposing forces: the public has recognized how we have been bamboozled on many subjects, including pharma and the food industry. Perhaps if RFK can thoroughly and meticulously explain what the problems are such that the general public can envision the rationale for his solutions, he could get something done, or at least change the direction of public discourse on pharma, agricuture etc. so that the likelihood of substantive changes in the future increase. He should hold his cards close and make the case before making a move.
Excellent and spot on essay. I think Gaetz won’t go far, but RFK could actually get there. But far too many news groups are already covering him in mud. Let’s see how “credible” they still are.
I would suggest that recent anti-vaccine sentiment is a continuation of that which started many years before Covid, alleging that childhood vaccines caused autism, and other problems. Of course, Covid vaccine mandates only added enormous fuel to the fire.
I hope that Trump will nominate you, Dr. Prasad, to be the Director of the FDA.
RFKjr can hire him for that position when he's in charge at HHS. other great picks- Makary, Battacharya, McCollough, Kory.
call your senators and let them know how important RFKjr is to you
I’d like to see Vinay as head of NIH
"He will be opposed at every turn. He may get one or two things done, and then the wheels of the system will stop him, sue him, halt him, and grind him down."
Like they have for the last 20 years? Seriously. He's used to it. And he's a lawyer.
I understand why Big Pharma gets a bad rap, but what about Big Insurance? Why haven’t we heard boo from RFK or anyone else in Trumps inner circle about ‘going after Big Insurance’? Pharmaceuticals only account for approx 10% of healthcare spend.
Re: insurance, I'd like to see someone go after the 80/20 rule that was included as part of the ACA too. It creates horrible incentives toward increasing premiums and spending on useless procedures.
If RFK Jr does everything on Vinay’s list of nine things, that, to me, would constitute a monumental achievement, about which I would be thrilled. I’m looking forward to changes at the USDA as well and seeing who is in charge there. The appointment of Joel Salatin, of Polyface Farms as an advisor to the head of the USDA is encouraging. Exciting times that hold much promise for positive change!
Dr Prasad,
RFKjr has been pushing this boulder up the hill for almost 20 years. the man doesn't quit and won't be worn down. he is committed to this; he prays about it everyday. nothing is as important to him as the health of america's children.
i also think that Trump is at the peak of his power. the senate will fall in line and approve his nominations.
finally, you said this: "I think it must be remembered that the recent origin of anti-vaccine sentiment did not start with RFK Jr. It started with Fauci and Walensky and Biden." you're pretty new to this so you can be forgiven for getting it wrong. ask any mother of a damaged child who was dismissed by her arrogant doctor and told that the seizure following a well baby visit, after which her child changed over night, was simply coincidence.
as a college psych major in 1972, i was taught that autism was caused by a cold unfeeling mother, a schizophrenogenic mother (note, that there were no schizophrenogenic fathers) who even if she protested that she loved and wanted her child, was told by the generally male "expert" (who knew her better than she knew herself) that her unconscious mind rejected the child no matter how much she "thought" she wanted it.
this thinking provided lots of fathers with just the excuse they needed to get out of a bad situation. the mothers couldn't walk away.
remember that autism was very rare back then and it accelerated a few years after the 1986 national childhood vaccine act which indemnified any vaccines on the childhood schedule and led to a gold rush to vaccinate for everything.
in 1976, my cousin's wife took the recommended, but not mandated or otherwise coerced, swine flu vaccine and spent the following year in a wheelchair. i've taken my chances with the flu ever since. i can't even blame my vaccine skepticism on fauci since it predates the beginning of his reign by 8 years.
the mothers of these children knew what they knew, no matter what doctors, experts or data said. eventually, they found RFKjr and decided that he was "the one" to carry their cause forward. they targeted him and eventually sent Sarah Bridges, the mother of a damaged child who had won her case in vaccine court (her son is supported by us taxpayers) as a delegate. she handed him an 18" stack of research papers and said she wouldn't leave until he read them. he got two inches down when he realized that the entire childhood vaccine program was a money making scam. he spoke out and was pilloried for it. he could have continued on as the most celebrated environmental lawyer on the planet but he could not unsee what he saw. he will not be stopped.
The media (CNN, MSNBC, NYTIMES, Stat and AXIOS) have already started the smearing and sneering game. I agree a more center of the road approach, initially, is the way to go. Reform the vaccine safety surveillance system reporting to start with.
Yes it’s amazing that these organizations have learned nothing. Parts of my family are firm left and they said they will never trust news again.
Do they understand it was untrustworthy in the first place?
Trump's popularity is higher than ever despite the massive array of opposing forces: the public has recognized how we have been bamboozled on many subjects, including pharma and the food industry. Perhaps if RFK can thoroughly and meticulously explain what the problems are such that the general public can envision the rationale for his solutions, he could get something done, or at least change the direction of public discourse on pharma, agricuture etc. so that the likelihood of substantive changes in the future increase. He should hold his cards close and make the case before making a move.
Excellent and spot on essay. I think Gaetz won’t go far, but RFK could actually get there. But far too many news groups are already covering him in mud. Let’s see how “credible” they still are.
All I can say is that Ima gonna get out the popcorn for this one.
I would suggest that recent anti-vaccine sentiment is a continuation of that which started many years before Covid, alleging that childhood vaccines caused autism, and other problems. Of course, Covid vaccine mandates only added enormous fuel to the fire.
Do you think RFK Jr will prefer Novavax over the mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer? Thanks colleague Dr. Prasad
I love your tongue-in-cheek jokes. So glad to finally be an official subscriber!