In a “PBS NewsHour” interview, impartial presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly denied beforehand saying that “no vaccine” is secure and efficient. However Kennedy mentioned precisely that on the Lex Fridman podcast in July.
Kennedy, who’s a former Democrat, additionally repeated a favourite — however incorrect — speaking level that vaccines are the “solely medical product … that’s allowed to get a license with out participating in security assessments.” As we’ve written earlier than, when detailing lots of the deceptive or false claims Kennedy has made about vaccines whereas on the marketing campaign path, all vaccines endure security testing previous to authorization or approval from the Meals and Drug Administration.
Kennedy’s false statements about his previous feedback on vaccines occurred about two-thirds of the way in which into an interview with “PBS NewsHour” co-anchor Amna Nawaz, when he objected to her description of him being “a part of the anti-vaccine motion” and having “controversial views on vaccines.”
Nawaz, Nov. 7: Let me ask you, if I could, let me ask you a couple of particular concern your loved ones has expressed previously, which is your controversial views on vaccines and being a part of the anti-vaccine motion.
(Crosstalk)
Kennedy: Effectively, what are my views on vaccines?
Nawaz: Effectively, you could have mentioned beforehand that no vaccine is secure or efficient, which is…
(Crosstalk)
Kennedy: I’ve by no means mentioned that.
Nawaz: You probably did say that in a podcast interview in July.
Kennedy: No, I by no means mentioned that.
Nawaz: You probably did say that. There are quotes, and that recording is there.
Kennedy: You’re improper. And also you’re making one thing up.
Kennedy proceeded to disclaim saying “no vaccine” is secure and efficient when he averted answering Nawaz’s query of whether or not he believes within the assertion.
Nawaz: So you don’t imagine the assertion that no vaccine is secure and efficient?
Kennedy: I by no means mentioned that.
Nawaz: In accordance with these experiences and the recordings, you could have, in a podcast interview in July.
(Crosstalk)
Kennedy: That’s the issue. If you’re studying experiences about me within the mainstream media, together with this community, they’re virtually all inaccurate.
Kennedy ended the change by asking for Nawaz to indicate him “a press release, not proof of a press release.”
Kennedy, in actual fact, made the declare in a July episode of the Lex Fridman podcast.
Fridman, July 6: You’ve talked about that the media slanders you by calling you an anti-vaxxer, and also you’ve mentioned that you just’re not anti-vaccine, you’re pro-safe vaccine. Tough query: Are you able to identify any vaccines that you just assume are good?
Kennedy: I feel a number of the reside virus vaccines are in all probability averting extra issues than they’re inflicting. There’s no vaccine that’s, you understand, secure and efficient.
On the time, Fridman pushed Kennedy on the difficulty, noting that these have been “large phrases” — and requested concerning the polio vaccine. Kennedy then misleadingly urged that the polio vaccines given to his era brought about most cancers — regardless of no proof that that is true.
Kennedy: The polio vaccine contained a virus known as simian virus 40, SV40. It’s probably the most carcinogenic supplies that’s identified to man. In actual fact, it’s used now by scientists all over the world to induce tumors in rats and guinea pigs in labs. However it was in that vaccine — 98 million individuals who obtained that vaccine, and my era obtained it, and now you’ve had this explosion of sentimental tissue cancers in our era that killed many, many, many, many extra individuals than polio ever did.
So in the event you say to me, “The polio vaccine, was it efficient towards polio?” I’m going to say, Sure. And in the event you say to me, “Did it kill extra individuals … did it brought about extra dying than averted?” I’d say, “I don’t know, as a result of we don’t have the info on that.”
As we’ve defined earlier than, a portion — however not all — of the roughly 100 million Individuals vaccinated between 1955 and 1963 for polio acquired vaccines that have been contaminated with SV40. However the virus, which causes most cancers in rodents, has not been proven to trigger most cancers in people. And there isn’t proof that individuals who have been vaccinated developed most cancers at a better price than those that weren’t.
In the midst of denying his previous statements within the “PBS NewsHour” interview, Kennedy additionally repeated a go-to line about vaccine security testing.
“I’m completely satisfied to say that my views are that vaccines needs to be examined, like all different medicines are examined. They need to have placebo-controlled trials previous to licensure,” he mentioned. “It’s the one medical product, the one medical product or medical gadget that’s allowed to get a license with out participating in security assessments.”
That is incorrect or deceptive on a number of fronts, as we’ve defined earlier than. All vaccines endure security testing previous to authorization or approval. However — simply as with medicine — the security assessments wouldn’t have to be placebo-controlled trials that use water or saline as a placebo.
There are legitimate scientific and moral causes to not use placebos, equivalent to when debuting a more recent model of an present vaccine. Furthermore, quite a few vaccines — most notably the COVID-19 photographs — have been in actual fact examined in placebo-controlled trials.
After authorization or approval, vaccine security continues to be monitored, as no medical product is 100% secure, and even very giant trials might not be capable of detect uncommon unwanted effects. This ensures the advantages of a vaccine outweigh the dangers.
Editor’s be aware: SciCheck’s articles offering correct well being data and correcting well being misinformation are made potential by a grant from the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The muse has no controlover FactCheck.org’s editorial selections, and the views expressed in our articles don’t essentially replicate the views of the inspiration.
