Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr said on Wednesday that the US government will no longer contribute to Gavi, accusing the group that helps buy vaccines for the world’s poorest children of ignoring safety, without providing evidence.A long-time vaccine skeptic, Kennedy also accused the organisation of making questionable recommendations around COVID-19 vaccines and raised concerns about the DTPw (diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis) vaccine, the report added.
“I call on Gavi today to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion that America has provided in funding since 2001,” the Reuters report quoted Kennedy as saying in the video, saying Gavi should consider all available science.
“Until that happens, the United States won’t contribute more,” he said. The report also added that the details of the video were first reported by Politico.Gavi said it “fully concurs with the Secretary for Health and Human Services on the need to consider all available science, and remains committed to continuing an evidence-based and scientific approach to its work and investment decisions, as it always has done.”
“I call on Gavi today to re-earn the public trust and to justify the $8 billion that America has provided in funding since 2001,” the Reuters report quoted Kennedy as saying in the video, saying Gavi should consider all available science.
“Until that happens, the United States won’t contribute more,” he said. The report also added that the details of the video were first reported by Politico.Gavi said it “fully concurs with the Secretary for Health and Human Services on the need to consider all available science, and remains committed to continuing an evidence-based and scientific approach to its work and investment decisions, as it always has done.”
Gavi leaders, donors and countries it works with are in Brussels for the organisation’s pledging summit, where the alliance aims to raise $9 billion for its work from 2026-30.
Kennedy said in the video that he admired much of Gavi’s work, particularly its efforts to make medicines affordable worldwide.
The Trump administration has previously indicated that it planned to cut its funding for Gavi, representing around $300 million annually, as part of a wider pullback from international aid.
With inputs from Reuters
(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)
