New data from 258 placebo trials directly challenge Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine claims, reinforcing scientific consensus and public health facts.

Health Leader’s Statements Under Scrutiny

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving as U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, has repeatedly claimed that most vaccines recommended for children haven’t been tested against inert placebos in pre-licensing trials. Speaking before the Senate on May 14, he asserted that only COVID-19 vaccines had undergone such rigorous testing — a statement that alarmed medical professionals.

A Researcher Pushes Back

Dr. Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford University, took issue with Kennedy’s statements. Launching a crowdsourced research effort in April, Scott and a team of global volunteers combed through decades of clinical studies to verify the claim. In just five weeks, they identified 258 randomized, placebo-controlled vaccine trials, with over half involving inert placebos like saline or water.

The Evidence is Public

Scott published his findings in a publicly shared spreadsheet. Using strict inclusion criteria — human-only trials with randomization and placebo control — the team sourced studies from databases such as PubMed, the WHO, and CDC. In total, these trials represented more than 2.5 million participants, offering a robust body of evidence on vaccine safety.

Vaccines Proven Through Inert Placebo Testing

The findings revealed that at least 9 of the 16 vaccines routinely recommended for U.S. children by the CDC — including those for polio, HPV, rotavirus, and MMR — have been tested against inert placebos. One landmark example: the 1954 polio vaccine trial, which involved over 400,000 children and used saline injections as a control. The vaccine was approved the very day its successful results were announced in 1955.

Ethics and Science Behind Placebo Use

While Kennedy has long emphasized the importance of inert placebos, experts note that active placebos — which contain harmless elements like adjuvants — are often used ethically when withholding an effective vaccine would pose risk. In other cases, control groups receive older, approved vaccines instead of a true placebo to ensure safety.

Dr. Greg Poland from the Mayo Clinic explains that this method allows researchers to isolate vaccine effects while maintaining ethical standards. “You’re testing A plus B versus B — so you isolate A,” he said.

Kennedy’s Position Evolves

Although Kennedy once called for only inert placebo-controlled trials, recent Senate testimony shows he may be shifting. Citing a 2016 Cochrane study, he acknowledged that observational studies can offer comparable insight into vaccine safety — a notable softening of his stance.

HHS Mandates New Policy

Despite the growing evidence base, HHS announced it will require all new vaccines to undergo placebo-controlled trials before approval — a move it called a “radical departure” from past practice. However, HHS has not commented on Scott’s findings or clarified Kennedy’s earlier statements, leaving public health experts concerned about the mixed messaging.

Expert Reaction

Dr. Isaac Bogoch of the University of Toronto, who reviewed Scott’s spreadsheet, called the data “impressive” and said it combats rising vaccine hesitancy with facts. “This type of work is extremely important in the era of misinformation,” he noted.

The Road Ahead

Scott and his team hope to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal. Meanwhile, their data remains accessible online — a transparent rebuttal to Kennedy’s statements and a testament to the power of crowdsourced science. “It’s frankly astounding that someone who made such easily disprovable claims is now heading HHS,” Scott said. “We compiled this evidence specifically to counter these false narratives with hard data.”

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