Robert F Kennedy has been appointed as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Donald Trump-led Republican government, sending shockwaves through the health and scientific community.
The 70-year-old environmental lawyer has often been embroiled in controversies for his problematic views and bold opinions on health issues.
Earlier this year, Robert F Kennedy Jr said he had a worm in his brain that he had after eating 'undercooked pork perhaps from India'. Although he made the claim in 2010, disclosed it in 2012 and subsequently elaborated in subsequent interviews, it has resurfaced online after his appointment.
I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 14, 2024
He claimed that in 2010, a mysterious brain condition sent him to the hospital with significant memory loss. He described the symptoms, including brain fog, memory issues, and word retrieval difficulties at the time.
The doctors initially mistook it for a tumour, however, they eventually identified it as a parasitic worm. Kennedy suggested that the worm may have come from consuming undercooked pork during his travels in India, where he worked on environmental projects.
He went on to claim that the parasite likely died on its own, leading to his recovery. "They said it's almost certainly a parasite that got into your brain. It ate a portion of it and then died," he said in a podcast this year.
Rober F Kennedy has often hit the headlines for his promotion of YouTube tutorials as a method of self-education — even in matters of health and nutrition. He has promised to make America healthy again.
Make America Healthy Again starts TOMORROW. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/LLzr5S9ugf
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 17, 2024
However, days after Trump's victory the health secretary was seen posing with a platter of McDonald's fast food. In a photo, that has gone viral, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr can also be seen along with RFK Jr with a McDonald's fast food platter in front of them. The platter is seen consisting of burgers, fried and other condiments and soft drinks as well.
Kennedy has publicly advocated for the consumption of raw and unpasteurised milk, a practice that remains controversial as it causes illnesses from E coli to salmonella. He has also pushed for relaxing regulations on the sale of raw milk.
In one of his interviews, he discussed eating a wide variety of meats, including a photograph published in Vanity Fair in July this year, where he posed with a roasted animal. There were speculations online that it might be a dog. He later clarified that the animal in question was a goat.
He is also among the prominent anti-vaxxer claiming that vaccines can cause autism and also said that “there’s no vaccine that is safe and effective”. He also called the Covid-19 vaccine the “deadliest vaccine ever made”.
