800 Medical Professionals Endorse RFK Jr. to Lead Health & Human Services, Showing Widespread Support from Medical Community to Make America Healthy Again

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Dec 15, 2024, 20:00 ET

Doctors from Across America, including Leading Family Physicians and Trusted Names in Functional Medicine, Oncology, Cardiology, and more Urge RFK Jr.'s Confirmation

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 800 medical professionals endorsed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health & Human Services (HHS) in a letter today, demonstrating broad support from the medical community for Kennedy's nomination as Secretary of HHS to Make America Healthy Again.

The letter, which is addressed to the Senate, states, "America stands at a crossroads. The conventional approaches of the past have failed to reverse our declining health outcomes. By confirming Mr. Kennedy, you will empower a leader prepared to tackle these challenges head-on, delivering the bold, systemic reforms our public health system desperately needs."

The letter represents the voices of health leaders across the US, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, physician, professor emeritus of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University and the current nominee to serve as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mark Hyman, one of the most trusted names in functional medicine, practicing physician and the founder of Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, Dr. John Abramson, selected by his peers as one of a handful of best family practitioners in Massachusetts who's been on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for 16 years, Dr. Casey Means, the Stanford-educated medical doctor and New York Times bestselling author focused on how to keep people out of the operating room, Dr. Jeff Vacirca, a renowned cancer physician and Chairman and CEO of the Board of New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, and more.

"Americans' healthy life expectancy ranks 67th in the world, while Americans pay almost twice as much for healthcare per person as the citizens in other wealthy nations," said Dr. Abramson, a signatory on the letter who's served as a family physician for 22 years and has taught primary care and currently teaches health care policy at Harvard Medical School. "Epidemiologic imbalance of our health research (96% directed at new drugs and devices) and non-transparency of clinical trial data in the peer review process play a large role in sustaining our outlier status of poor health and high costs. This dysfunction can and must be corrected."

Doctors who are interested in supporting this historic nomination to Make America Healthy Again can sign on to the letter here. The letter states:

Doctors for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

LETTER TO THE SENATE

To the United States Senators of the 119th Congress:

We, the undersigned physicians, write to urge you to seize this historic opportunity to confront America's chronic disease crisis by confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The stakes could not be higher. The chronic disease epidemic now threatens our nation's future—undermining human capital, compromising national security, and straining our economy to the breaking point. In the early 1980s, fewer than 13% of U.S. children suffered from a chronic condition. Today, that figure has soared to nearly 60%, and an alarming 77% of young adults are ineligible for military service due to health issues. Chronic disease and mental health now account for 90% of the nation's $4.3 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures. These trends are not just unsustainable—they are existential.

This letter reflects the collective voice of physicians and medical professionals committed to reversing these devastating trends. We believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr. possesses the vision, integrity, and leadership essential for this critical moment in public health. His unwavering commitment to scientific transparency and his determination to address the root causes of illness make him uniquely qualified to lead HHS.

Mr. Kennedy's nomination represents an unparalleled chance to restore our nation's health and renew trust in our public health institutions. He has pledged to return federal health agencies to their tradition of evidence-based science, ensuring accountability and transparency at every level. His commonsense policy priorities—including removing harmful substances from our food, water, and medicines—are grounded in the urgent need to combat the chronic disease epidemic and to Make America Healthy Again.

America stands at a crossroads. The conventional approaches of the past have failed to reverse our declining health outcomes. By confirming Mr. Kennedy, you will empower a leader prepared to tackle these challenges head-on, delivering the bold, systemic reforms our public health system desperately needs.

As Mr. Kennedy has so aptly stated: "Ultimately, the only thing that will save our country and our children is if we choose to love our kids more than we hate each other." We urge you to put our children, families, and nation first by confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Sincerely,

Doctors for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Additional signatories from across a range of medical specialties include Dr. Ora Burstein (Stamford, CT), Dr. Ari Calhoun (San Diego, CA), Dr. John Feehery (Chester, PA), Dr. Rachel Beck (San Antonio, TX), Dr. Kara Kimberly (Altoona, PA), Dr. Robert Goldman (Los Angeles, CA), Dr. James Ames (Lebanon, New Hampshire), Dr. George Isajiw (Lansdowne, PA), Dr. Edgar Suder (Scottsdale, AZ), Dr. Randy Grellner (Cushing, OK), and hundreds of other practicing physicians and medical professionals who are committed to reinvigorating public health in America.