U.S. senators have raised concerns over disclosures made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding fees linked to a $50 million settlement involving Merck’s Gardasil vaccine. The dispute centers on conflicting statements about payments Kennedy received or relinquished in connection with litigation over the HPV vaccine.
Four Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, sent a letter on Monday questioning Kennedy’s recent statements, which appear to contradict prior disclosures. The letter noted that Kennedy’s recent remarks suggest his earlier ethics agreement may no longer be accurate or may have been modified. Kennedy, a former anti-vaccine activist and attorney in Gardasil-related cases, became health secretary last year after being nominated by former President Trump.
Kennedy stated in a social media post earlier this month that neither he nor any family member received any funds from the Gardasil settlement. He added that before taking office, he relinquished any interest in potential fees back to the Wisner Baum law firm, which handled the cases. This statement followed a letter sent last month by senators asking whether Kennedy’s son received his share of the fees and how much was involved.
Merck agreed to pay $50 million earlier this year to settle litigation over Gardasil, a vaccine recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for routine immunization in 11- and 12-year-olds. Kennedy had previously indicated he would transfer his financial interest in the litigation to his son, as recorded in an ethics form and written answers to the Senate Finance Committee. The lawmakers’ inquiry highlights discrepancies between his earlier statements and recent disclosures.
The senators’ letter also referenced a prior attempt by the CDC to update its guidance to recommend a single dose of the HPV vaccine instead of the two-dose regimen approved by the FDA. That change was blocked by a federal judge. Kennedy has accused lawmakers and media outlets, including Reuters, of fabricating claims to undermine his stance against the pharmaceutical industry.
