Ky., a polio survivor, responded critically to a report in The New York Times that a key lawyer and longtime advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell defended the polio vaccine following revelations that an advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Democratic presidential candidate, had sought to revoke its approval. This controversy emerged after it was disclosed that Dr. Harvey Risch, a Yale School of Public Health professor and advisor to Kennedy, had advocated for the revocation of the polio vaccine's approval in 2021. McConnell emphasized the vaccine's critical role in public health, highlighting its success in nearly eradicating polio in the U.S. and globally. He criticized the move as misguided and dangerous, pointing out the potential public health risks of undermining trust in vaccines. This incident has sparked a broader discussion on vaccine skepticism and the influence of political figures on public health policy.