Democratic Gov. Jared Polis cheers RFK Jr.’s nomination for health post despite anti-vaccine statements

[RestoreTheJoy]

MSN

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday cheered anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the nation’s top public health agency, highlighting the controversial nominee’s stances on “big pharma” and “corporate ag.”

Polis, a Democrat, faced quick pushback on social media after he said he was “excited” by President-elect Donald Trump’s selection, and he posted again an hour later to clarify his thoughts. A spokesman for the governor then further walked back Polis’ support for Kennedy in a statement to The Denver Post.

Kennedy has adopted some mainstream health positions, such as limiting ultra-processed foods and the use of pesticides in growing crops. Polis, citing specific quotes by Kennedy, focused on those latter views in his first post Thursday afternoon on the social platform X.

“‘In some categories, there are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the (Food and Drug Administration) that are — that have to go, that are not doing their job, they’re not protecting our kids,” Polis quoted Kennedy as saying, then added himself: “YES! The entire nutrition regime is dominated by big corporate ag rather than human health and they do more harm than good.”

Polis — who’d previously criticized Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stances this summer — acknowledged those positions in his posts Thursday but urged his 136,000 X followers to hold off on mocking or disagreeing with Kennedy.

Good. Let's see what RFK Jr. can do. The current trajectory is unsustainable.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Are you implying that NIH took the money and then sat on their hands?

NIH documents show how $1.6 billion long Covid initiative has failed so far to meet its goals

NIH documents show how the $1.6 billion long Covid initiative called RECOVER has failed so far to meet its goals.

www.statnews.com

This link provides a bullet point list of the issues thus far:

But just a few of the more pertinent ones:

The NIH failed to select scientists with “an established background in conducting research on post-acute infection syndromes” to lead the initiative, said David Putrino, Nash Family Director of the Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illness at Mount Sinai. In their applications, dozens of scientists from NYU and Mass General shared details from their prior research that they believed were most relevant to the program; none mentioned the post-infectious chronic diseases that predate the Covid-19 pandemic and are now commonly diagnosed alongside long Covid

Instead, the NIH selected for leadership, as Putrino put it, “a bunch of biostatisticians and epidemiologists.” In their applications, the research teams highlighted their experience with collecting and utilizing electronic health records, clinical test results, genomics, and other types of health data to answer biomedical questions. This focus aligns with a broader agency-level interest in “big data” under former NIH Director Francis Collins

According to the NIH’s contract with NYU, the observational study was set to have recruited 85% of its cohort by the end of its first year, in spring 2022, and to have a “working research-based definition” of long Covid in the same time frame. The study had not met either goal by April 2023.

NIH’s process for awarding grants suffers from some structural issues that impacted the RECOVER initiative, said experts who reviewed the documents. Unlike other agencies and research institutions that have adopted anonymity into their grant review process, the NIH continues to heavily weigh where researchers work and their prior records of NIH support. As a result, the NIH tends to award funding to researchers and institutions who have previously received NIH funding, creating an insular cycle that discourages unique innovation.


The two at the bottom that I've bolded are of particular concern...

 

[durangodawood]

NIH documents show how $1.6 billion long Covid initiative has failed so far to meet its goals

NIH documents show how the $1.6 billion long Covid initiative called RECOVER has failed so far to meet its goals.

www.statnews.com

This link provides a bullet point list of the issues thus far:

But just a few of the more pertinent ones:

The NIH failed to select scientists with “an established background in conducting research on post-acute infection syndromes” to lead the initiative, said David Putrino, Nash Family Director of the Cohen Center for Recovery from Complex Chronic Illness at Mount Sinai. In their applications, dozens of scientists from NYU and Mass General shared details from their prior research that they believed were most relevant to the program; none mentioned the post-infectious chronic diseases that predate the Covid-19 pandemic and are now commonly diagnosed alongside long Covid

Instead, the NIH selected for leadership, as Putrino put it, “a bunch of biostatisticians and epidemiologists.” In their applications, the research teams highlighted their experience with collecting and utilizing electronic health records, clinical test results, genomics, and other types of health data to answer biomedical questions. This focus aligns with a broader agency-level interest in “big data” under former NIH Director Francis Collins

According to the NIH’s contract with NYU, the observational study was set to have recruited 85% of its cohort by the end of its first year, in spring 2022, and to have a “working research-based definition” of long Covid in the same time frame. The study had not met either goal by April 2023.

NIH’s process for awarding grants suffers from some structural issues that impacted the RECOVER initiative, said experts who reviewed the documents. Unlike other agencies and research institutions that have adopted anonymity into their grant review process, the NIH continues to heavily weigh where researchers work and their prior records of NIH support. As a result, the NIH tends to award funding to researchers and institutions who have previously received NIH funding, creating an insular cycle that discourages unique innovation.


The two at the bottom that I've bolded are of particular concern...

Im sure a leader who goes with rumor over evidence will help fix this......

 

[Hazelelponi]

MSN

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday cheered anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the nation’s top public health agency, highlighting the controversial nominee’s stances on “big pharma” and “corporate ag.”

Polis, a Democrat, faced quick pushback on social media after he said he was “excited” by President-elect Donald Trump’s selection, and he posted again an hour later to clarify his thoughts. A spokesman for the governor then further walked back Polis’ support for Kennedy in a statement to The Denver Post.

Kennedy has adopted some mainstream health positions, such as limiting ultra-processed foods and the use of pesticides in growing crops. Polis, citing specific quotes by Kennedy, focused on those latter views in his first post Thursday afternoon on the social platform X.

“‘In some categories, there are entire departments, like the nutrition department at the (Food and Drug Administration) that are — that have to go, that are not doing their job, they’re not protecting our kids,” Polis quoted Kennedy as saying, then added himself: “YES! The entire nutrition regime is dominated by big corporate ag rather than human health and they do more harm than good.”

Polis — who’d previously criticized Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stances this summer — acknowledged those positions in his posts Thursday but urged his 136,000 X followers to hold off on mocking or disagreeing with Kennedy.

I don't know what all of Kennedy's actual positions are concerning vaccinations.

For myself, I'll never consider a vaccine that is forced in order to keep your job etc. The COVID vaccines I'll never take for religious reasons now, due to the fact it was forced, and honestly all of the COVID vaccine nonsense makes me distrust vaccines going forward quite a bit.

But I'm still for all the normal childhood vaccines sans any of the newer mRNA vaccines.

I know the rise in autism makes a lot of people wonder about even the regular polio/MMR type of vaccines, but a lot of the rise could have something to do with other factors as well including the higher age of women starting families and birth control used during the height of childbearing years.

I do think we need some solid studies done exploring the potential causes for the rise in autism in children, and I see Kennedy as a potential ally in his nominated position as head of HHS where concerns getting some good studies in.

I don't see Kennedy to be anything but a benefit to our national health, as I see him focusing on some of the more important factors, like too many added chemicals in our foods etc.

Also, for the religious, I'm glad to know someone like Kennedy is more likely to respect the religious where concerns new vaccines - instead of someone supporting instituting mandates on the general public for experimental drugs.

 

[FreeinChrist]

I know the rise in autism makes a lot of people wonder about even the regular polio/MMR type of vaccines, but a lot of the rise could have something to do with other factors as well including the higher age of women starting families and birth control used during the height of childbearing years.

I do think we need some solid studies done exploring the potential causes for the rise in autism in children, and I see Kennedy as a potential ally in his nominated position as head of HHS where concerns getting some good studies in.

There have been 3 huge studies, if not more, studying the MMR vaccine and autism. Each study involves 25,000 1 year olds getting the vaccine or not, and what the incidence of autism in each group of vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
There was no difference, which indicates the MMR does not affect whether a child develops autism or not.

I attended a lecture about autism and other things, and the speaker (can't remember the name but he was an MD and did research) said that the far more likely cause was something in the food, something the child was exposed to repeatedly. The child has to have the genetic capibility to develop autism (like a gene) and it is sparked by an environmental factor, one that is repeated. We need to know about the chemicals in our food, and how those chemicals affect humans.

 

[Hazelelponi]

There was no difference, which indicates the MMR does not affect whether a child develops autism or not.

This is why I assume we should investigate other causes - I noted this when I posted.

I also noted I believe Kennedy will focus more on chemicals in food. Which is needed.

 

[FreeinChrist]

This is why I assume we should investigate other causes - I noted this when I posted.

I also noted I believe Kennedy will focus more on chemicals in food. Which is needed.

I am all for looking hard at Big Agra.
But the FDA needs to be left alone or expanded. The FDA does not really study over the counter supplements and if they are even absorbed, only if the processing is clean and the supplement contains what it says it does. All these CBD companies need to be looked at hard. One lady in AZ took CBD for her MS, and she ended up in the ER, totally hysterical and confused and disoriented. What was in the CBD that she bought? Who knows.

And the NIH needs left alone. Same with the CDC.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I am all for looking hard at Big Agra.
But the FDA needs to be left alone or expanded. The FDA does not really study over the counter supplements and if they are even absorbed, only if the processing is clean and the supplement contains what it says it does. All these CBD companies need to be looked at hard. One lady in AZ took CBD for her MS, and she ended up in the ER, totally hysterical and confused and disoriented. What was in the CBD that she bought? Who knows.

And the NIH needs left alone. Same with the CDC.

So basically you want everything left alone, because things are going so well...

Lol. Okay.

I disagree, and so do a plurality of Americans.

 

[FreeinChrist]

Look into what all HHS does. It encompasses much more than what we have mentioned here.

Kennedy is not up to the job.

Edit.
HHS is the agency that investigates medicare and medicaid fraud, is involved in disaster preparedness and also how services are provided (is it safe, is it done fairly for all).
HHS also works with faith based adn community organizations to provide local services to people (food banks, clothing, shelter).