RFK Jr. Appointee To CDC Advisory Committee Was A Paid Expert In Merck's Gardasil Lawsuit
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. named eight new members to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Wednesday, including several anti-vaccine proponents, after dismissing all 17 existing advisers.
Kennedy justified the overhaul to 're-establish public confidence in vaccine science,' claiming, without providing specific evidence, that prior Biden-appointed members had conflicts of interest. The new eight-member committee represents the minimum allowed under ACIP's founding charter.
Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —
Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist, was among eight individuals selected by Kennedy to join the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
Kulldorff has been an outspoken critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
His appointment has also raised questions due to his paid involvement in litigation against a major vaccine manufacturer, according to Reuters.
Citing court records, Reuters notes that Kulldorff served as an expert witness in lawsuits against Merck & Co Inc (NYSE:MRK) over its Gardasil vaccine, which is used to prevent cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).
The plaintiff accused the pharmaceutical company of not properly disclosing the vaccine's risks.
Gardasil was approved in the U.S. in 2006 after going through clinical trials to prove its safety and efficacy.During a deposition in October, Kulldorff acknowledged that he had been paid $400 an hour for his work on the case and had billed approximately $33,000 through September.
He also received a $4,000 retainer in connection with the North Carolina lawsuit, which was part of a broader legal effort encompassing about 200 related cases. In March, a federal judge ruled in favor of Merck in that particular case.
Kulldorff's paid role as a litigation consultant could conflict with ACIP's established rules. According to the committee's guidelines, members are prohibited from serving as paid expert witnesses or litigation consultants in cases involving vaccine manufacturers while actively serving on the panel.
Gardasil/Gardasil 9 sales declined 41% to $1.33 billion in the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to lower demand in China, partially offset by higher demand in most international regions, particularly in Japan, and higher pricing and demand in the U.S. Excluding China, sales grew 14%, or 16%, excluding the impact of foreign exchange.
Read Next:
Are you rich? Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy.
Bezos' Favorite Real Estate Platform Launches A Way To Ride The Ongoing Private Credit Boom
Photo: Shutterstock
Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market.
Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga?
This article RFK Jr. Appointee To CDC Advisory Committee Was A Paid Expert In Merck's Gardasil Lawsuit originally appeared on Benzinga.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Sits on Billions of Untapped Oil Barrels
The United States is the largest oil and gas producer in the world. It is also experiencing a slowdown in its oil production for a number of reasons, including natural depletion. The U.S. Geological Survey, however, has just published a study stating that there are almost 30 billion new barrels of untapped oil—under federal lands, no less. Oil and gas drilling was a contentious topic during the Biden administration. The administration decidedly did not like it and put a serious effort into curbing this drilling as much as the law allowed. As soon as Donald Trump became president, the tables turned and drilling on federal lands became very much a desirable direction for federal energy policy to move in, with the President prioritizing affordable energy and higher exports. Now, the U.S. Geological Survey has thrown its weight behind the American energy dominance idea, reporting estimated undiscovered oil reserves of 29.4 billion barrels across the country, with the leader being Alaska with 14.46 billion barrels of untapped oil under federal lands. New Mexico is next, with 8.925 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, followed by Nevada, with 1.4 billion barrels. Untapped gas reserves on federal land were estimated at over 391.55 trillion cu ft. Now, the only question is when these hitherto untapped resources will be number of drilling rigs in the U.S. oil patch has been on a steady decline recently, reflecting an extended weakness in international prices. This has now changed, of course, after Israel attacked Iran on June 13, but the industry is in no rush to reverse course for the time being. The industry is playing it safe, not least because cheap drilling sites are running out—or maybe not, if the USGS assessment of untapped resources is correct. For years now, the biggest production growth driver of U.S. oil has been the Permian Basin, spanning Texas and New Mexico. The Permian has single-handedly offset declines in a number of other shale plays and largely uneventful day-to-day business in conventional fields. But the Permian is not inexhaustible, and more importantly, it's not cheap to drill everywhere there. So, costs are rising in the Permian as some parts of the play hit their geological limits while others, yet to be drilled, are not expected to be as prolific as that top-tier acreage that the industry is running out of currently. This has sparked some concern among commentators, although some have argued that there may yet be another boom left in the most prolific shale play in the country. Yet with the USGS's new assessment of undiscovered reserves, such a boom becomes less important for the current administration's dominance plans. If there are 14.46 billion untapped barrels of crude under Alaska alone, shortage of new oil will not become a problem for the world's top producer anytime soon. 'American Energy Dominance is more important than ever, and this report underscores the critical role science plays in informing our energy future,' Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in comments on the USGS study. 'Thanks to the USGS's rigorous and independent assessment, we're better equipped to manage America's vast public lands responsibly while supporting energy security and economic opportunity.' Crude oil is currently trading at over $75 per barrel. In fact, WTI is climbing closer to $76 per barrel amid the spike in violence in the Middle East. How long this will hold is anyone's guess, but the fact is that prices are set for their third consecutive weekly rise. This is a short-term development, of course, while oil companies are more interested in the long-term outlook for their business. This is also uncertain, alas, because federal policy could flip in three years just like it flipped when Trump took the helm. Indeed, environmentalists are massively unhappy about any oil and gas drilling on any federal lands. 'America's public lands are intended to be held in trust for all people in this country, and their resources managed carefully and in perpetuity,' a Natural Resources Defense Council blog post from February said, as quoted by Bloomberg. 'As the Trump administration shifts to a pro-industry footing to help rich dirty energy companies get even richer, we're seeing this trust responsibility shirked in shocking and truly damaging ways,' the author, senior program advocate Josh Axelrod, wrote. The Center for American Progress claimed earlier this year that more drilling on federal lands would not bring down energy costs for Americans, in part because companies were uninterested in the acreage that the federal government had to offer, and also, they worked like a cartel to set prices. Such attacks on oil and gas will no doubt intensify—even as banks, the actual people with the money, walk back their climate commitments and boost investment in oil and gas. With or without these attacks, however, tapping those billions of barrels would depend on one thing only: whether it makes economic sense. With new discoveries few and far between globally, they might start making such sense before very long. By Irina Slav for More Top Reads From this article on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Investors brace for oil price spike, rush to safe havens after US bombs Iran nuclear sites
A US attack on Iranian nuclear sites could push oil prices even higher and trigger a knee-jerk rush to safety, investors said, as they assessed how the latest escalation of tensions would ripple through the global economy. The reaction in Middle East stock markets, which trade on Sunday, suggested investors were assuming a benign outcome, even as Iran intensified its missile attacks on Israel in response to the sudden, deep U.S. involvement in the conflict. President Trump called the attack 'a spectacular military success' in a televised address to the nation and said Iran's 'key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' He said the U.S. military could go after other targets in Iran if the country did not agree to peace. Advertisement Iran said it reserves all options to defend itself, and warned of 'everlasting consequences.' Speaking in Istanbul, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran was weighing its options for retaliation and would consider diplomacy only after carrying out its response. 7 President Trump called the attack 'a spectacular military success.' REUTERS Investors said they expected US involvement would cause a stock market selloff and a possible bid for the dollar and other safe-haven assets when major markets reopen, but also said much uncertainty remained. Advertisement 'I think the markets are going to be initially alarmed, and I think oil will open higher,' said Mark Spindel, chief investment officer at Potomac River Capital. 'I think the uncertainty is going to blanket the markets, as now Americans everywhere are going to be exposed. It's going to raise uncertainty and volatility, particularly in oil,' he added. One indicator of how markets will react in the coming week was the price of ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency and a gauge of retail investor sentiment. Advertisement 'We don't have any damage assessment and that will take some time. Even though (Trump) has described this as 'done', we're engaged,' Spindel said. Ether was down 8.5% on Sunday, taking losses since the first Israeli strikes on Iran on June 13 to 13%. 7 Iran has warned of 'everlasting consequences' over the U.S. attack. via REUTERS Most Gulf stock markets, however, seemed unconcerned by the early morning attacks, with the main indexes in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait up slightly or flat. Israel's Tel Aviv main index was at an all-time high. Advertisement A key concern for markets centers around the potential impact of Middle East developments on oil prices and thus on inflation. Rising inflation could dampen consumer confidence and lessen the chance of near-term interest rate cuts. Saul Kavonic, a senior energy analyst at equity research firm MST Marquee in Sydney, said Iran could respond by targeting American interests in the Middle East, including Gulf oil infrastructure in places such as Iraq or harassing ship passages through the Strait of Hormuz. 7 Traders are bracing for a rocky day on Wall Street when markets open Monday. AFP via Getty Images The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran and is the primary export route for oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait. 'Much depends on how Iran responds in the coming hours and days, but this could set us on a path towards $100 oil if Iran respond as they have previously threatened to,' Kavonic said. While global benchmark Brent crude futures have risen as much as 18% since June 10, hitting a near five-month high of $79.04 on Thursday, the S&P 500 has been little changed, following an initial drop when Israel launched its attacks on Iran on June 13. 7 Brent crude futures have risen as much as 18% since June 10, Getty Images Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group, said oil prices would likely spike before leveling off in a few days as the attacks could lead Iran to seek a peace deal with Israel and the U.S. Advertisement 'With this demonstration of force and total annihilation of its nuclear capabilities, they've lost all of their leverage and will likely hit the escape button to a peace deal,' Cox said. Economists warn that a dramatic rise in oil prices could damage a global economy already strained by Trump's tariffs. 7 During past Mideast, stocks initially languished but soon recovered to trade higher in the months ahead. AFP via Getty Images Still, any pullback in equities might be fleeting, history suggests. During past eruptions of Middle East tensions, including the 2003 Iraq invasion and the 2019 attacks on Saudi oil facilities, stocks initially languished but soon recovered to trade higher in the months ahead. Advertisement On average, the S&P 500 slipped 0.3% in the three weeks following the start of conflict, but was 2.3% higher on average two months following the conflict, according to data from Wedbush Securities and CapIQ Pro. An escalation in the conflict could have mixed implications for the U.S. dollar, which has tumbled this year amid worries over diminished U.S. exceptionalism. 7 Analysts say the dollar could benefit from a safety bid in the event of direct US engagement in the Iran-Israel war. AFP via Getty Images In the event of U.S. direct engagement in the Iran-Israel war, the dollar could initially benefit from a safety bid, analysts said. Advertisement 'Do we see a flight to safety? That would signal yields going lower and the dollar getting stronger,' said Steve Sosnick, chief market strategist at IBKR in Greenwich, Conn. 'It's hard to imagine stocks not reacting negatively and the question is how much.' Jack McIntyre, portfolio manager for global fixed income at Brandywine Global Investment Management in Philadelphia, said it was uncertain whether U.S. Treasuries would rally after the U.S. attack, largely due to the market's hypersensitivity to inflation. 'This could lead to regime change (which) ultimately could have a much bigger impact on the global economy if Iran shifts towards a more friendly, open economic regime,' said McIntyre.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Finally: A president who understands ‘peace through strength' just made the world safer
President Donald Trump's order to 'obliterate' Iranian nuclear-weapons sites just made the whole world a lot safer — not only because he kept a maniacal regime from acquiring nukes, but because other nations must now think twice before defying the United States. 'American deterrence is back,' proclaimed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 'When this president speaks, the world should listen' — because the US military 'can back it up.' Advertisement And, indeed, US military might is a thing to behold. What a refreshing change from the Obama and Biden years. Time and again, President Joe Biden issued a toothless, finger-wagging 'Don't' — only for his targets to laugh and do as they pleased anyway, knowing that America's adversaries would face no real consequences. Advertisement 'Don't, don't, don't,' Biden threatened any 'hostile actor thinking about attacking Israel' after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023; Hezbollah and the Houthis struck the Jewish state anyway. US drops $500M bombs on Iran The US military dropped six 'bunker buster' bombs on Iran's Fordow nuclear enrichment plant Saturday night and on two other key sites. Prior to the airstrikes, Israel initiated extensive attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and military. Satellite images show how part of the mountain protecting the facility was completely obliterated. This marks the first time that the US used the 15-ton GBU-57 bunker buster bombs in anger. 'Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following the attack. Last year he told Iran 'don't' after it threatened to attack Israel; Tehran responded by launching hundreds of missiles at Israeli targets. Biden warned Vladimir Putin of 'severe consequences' for invading Ukraine; Putin went ahead. Advertisement Even after Iranian-backed militants killed three US soldiers and injured 30 others in Jordan last year, Biden's response was all but nonexistent. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Joe earned the world's contempt his first year in office with his disastrous Afghan withdrawal, and kept on earning it by repeatedly hesitating in getting Ukraine the arms it needed to do more than slow the Russian onslaught. President Barack Obama was no better. Recall his 'red line' on Syria's use of chemical weapons? When Bashar al-Assad used them anyway, Obama set off on an elaborate dance to not follow through — even facilitating Moscow's return to being a Mideast player when Putin offered face-saving cover for Bam's back-down. Advertisement Obama's answer to Iran's nukes was to hand the regime billions in exchange for promises to delay gaining them, a deal Tehran quickly violated. The Obama crew confused America's enemies with its friends; Biden was just confused — but each opened to door to chaos with bumbling that led to the rise of ISIS and Putin's first grab of Ukrainian territory on Bam's watch, then the latest Ukraine war plus the Middle East in flames after Joe took over. Yes, Trump prefers diplomacy, even to end Iran's nuclear ambitions. But he also warned that no deal meant 'bombing the likes of which they have never seen before' — and now has proved that his words aren't empty threats. And just as Putin, China's Xi Jinping and other malign actors saw Biden's Afghan bugout as a US retreat and a license for belligerence, they heard the rumble of Trump's massive bunker-buster bombs Saturday — and the message they sent about America's new resolve. It's true that Trump strongly prefers peace and is reluctant to use military power, but he's now proved beyond a doubt that he will use it — and to overwhelming effect — when necessary. Plus, US deception and strategic misdirection in advance of Saturday's strikes now make it clear that Trump's trademark ambiguity is reason for the other guys to worry about what he might do. Advertisement America is well-served by that 'unpredictability,' even as it was ill-served by Obama and Biden's predictable weakness. Bombing Iran's nuke sites won't guarantee better behavior from US adversaries, but the Putins and Xis of the world are on notice that they move at high risk of paying a far greater cost than they can afford. It's the very definition of deterrence: 'Peace through strength' makes the world safer. Thank goodness the nation has a president who gets it.
