Kennedy Jr. Orders Removal of Website Mimicking CDC Vaccine Page
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, directed leaders of his non-profit organization on Saturday to dismantle a webpage that replicated the design of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The contentious page asserted a correlation between vaccines and autism.
Website Mimicked CDC Design, Promoted Vaccine-Autism Link
The controversial webpage was hosted on a site registered to Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group founded by Mr. Kennedy. His directive to remove the page followed an inquiry from The New York Times and subsequent widespread attention on social media platforms.
The webpage was taken down Saturday evening following the escalating scrutiny.
HHS Issues Statement, Demands Website Removal
“Secretary Kennedy has instructed the Office of the General Counsel to issue a formal request to Children’s Health Defense demanding the immediate removal of their website,” stated the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in an official announcement.
“At HHS, our commitment is to restore our agencies to their foundational principle of upholding gold-standard, evidence-based scientific practices,” the HHS statement further emphasized.
Questions Surround Website’s Purpose, Kennedy’s Separation from Group
The motivation behind the anti-vaccine group’s publication of a CDC-imitation page remains unclear. Children’s Health Defense did not respond to requests for comment. Mr. Kennedy has previously stated that he formally severed ties with the organization upon launching his presidential campaign in 2023.
Fake Page Closely Resembled Official CDC Site
The fabricated vaccine information page was virtually indistinguishable from the authentic content featured on the CDC’s official website. The replicated layout, typography, and logos raised potential concerns regarding federal copyright infringement.
In stark contrast to the CDC’s website, which definitively refutes any link between vaccines and autism, the deceptive page suggested the possibility of such a connection. Notably, it included links to video testimonials from parents attributing their children’s ailments to vaccination.
Page’s Discovery and Content Composition
E. Rosalie Li, founder of the Information Epidemiology Lab, initially reported the webpage’s publication on Substack. Children’s Health Defense did not immediately respond to requests for clarification.
Mr. Kennedy has a long-standing history of maintaining a connection between vaccines and autism. He reiterated this position during his Senate confirmation hearings, despite extensive scientific consensus disproving the theory.
CDC to Re-examine Evidence Amidst Controversy
Under his leadership, the CDC recently announced plans to re-evaluate existing evidence concerning vaccine safety – a decision criticized by Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana and chair of the Senate health committee, as a wasteful allocation of resources.
Imitation Page Details: Banner, Headline, and Content
The deceptive online page prominently displayed the CDC’s signature blue banner and logo, alongside the heading “Vaccine Safety” and a subsequent headline reading “Vaccines and Autism.”
The textual content presented research both supporting and opposing a connection between vaccines and autism. However, it ambiguously maintained the possibility of harm from vaccines – a notion long-dismissed by the scientific community.
Study Citations and Expert Analysis
The page incorporated a citation to a study by Brian S. Hooker, chief scientific officer of Children’s Health Defense, alongside references to other studies critical of vaccination.
“It presents a mixture of credible, peer-reviewed material alongside unsubstantiated claims,” noted Dr. Bruce Gellin, former director of HHS’s vaccine program under the Bush and Obama administrations.
Misleading Footnotes and Testimonials
“The footnotes create a false impression of legitimate scientific rigor,” Dr. Gellin added, highlighting the deceptive nature of the presentation.
A section at the bottom of the page featured video testimonials with titles such as “Mother of 3: I Will Never Vaccinate Again” and “We Signed His Life Away,” presenting emotionally charged anecdotes as evidence.
Contrast with CDC’s Official Stance
This approach starkly contrasts with the CDC’s official website section on autism and vaccines. The CDC website unequivocally refutes any causal link, stating clearly that “studies have shown that there is no link” between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder.
Children’s Health Defense and Measles Outbreak in Texas
Recently, Children’s Health Defense has also engaged in commentary surrounding a measles outbreak in West Texas.
The organization’s CHD.TV channel broadcast an interview with the parents of a 6-year-old girl, declared deceased from measles by the state health department – the first reported measles fatality in the U.S. in a decade.
While health authorities confirmed the child was unvaccinated and without pre-existing conditions, Children’s Health Defense asserted possession of hospital records contradicting the official cause of death.
The organization also interviewed Dr. Ben Edwards, who treated the girl’s siblings and is one of two Texas doctors, both practicing alternative medicine, consulted by Mr. Kennedy regarding the outbreak.
Hospital Responds to “Misleading” Claims
In response to the video content, Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, released a statement this week refuting the claims. The hospital asserted that “a recent video circulating online contains misleading and inaccurate claims” and emphasized patient confidentiality laws preventing specific disclosures related to the case.