Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is spearheading a federal initiative aimed at expanding research into vaccine-related injuries, including the establishment of a new clinic at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center. The plan also involves implementing a new billing code to reimburse doctors for reporting serious vaccine side effects, according to multiple sources familiar with the efforts. Kennedy’s recent visit to the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, marked his first official trip there as health secretary, during which he met with patients who believe they have experienced vaccine injuries.
The initiative, described in NIH documents released earlier this year, seeks to improve data collection and analysis related to vaccine injuries and may extend the research program to other centers nationwide. A broad, related research proposal under the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences aims to study environmental exposures, including aluminum-containing compounds present in vaccines, though it does not explicitly state a focus on vaccines.
Kennedy’s emphasis on vaccine safety has been a defining feature of his tenure, despite longstanding scientific consensus affirming that serious vaccine side effects are rare and that vaccines prevent numerous diseases. He has drawn attention to alleged harmful effects of vaccine ingredients such as mercury and aluminum, and has suggested links between vaccines and chronic illnesses, although these claims lack robust scientific evidence. He has also called for large-scale studies addressing both positive and negative long-term health outcomes of vaccination across lifespan.
Public health experts acknowledge the importance of continued vaccine safety monitoring but express mixed views on Kennedy’s approach. While some remain skeptical of his focus, especially on topics like autism and metals—areas where large-scale studies have repeatedly found no causal connections—experts such as Dr. Helen Chu, a former advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stress the need to take vaccine adverse events seriously and fund rigorous research to identify potential causes and improve vaccine safety. Similarly, Dr. Daniel Salmon of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health supports the expansion of well-designed vaccine safety studies.
Among the patients advocating for greater attention to vaccine injuries is Brianne Dressen, who participated in an AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial that was withdrawn in 2024 due to rare but serious side effects, including a blood-clotting disorder. Dressen developed symptoms soon after vaccination, including neuropathy that was diagnosed by NIH doctors. She later founded React19, a nonprofit supporting research into COVID vaccine side effects and long-term symptoms. Dressen described meeting with Kennedy at the NIH as a significant development for people who have felt dismissed by the medical community.
Kennedy’s vaccine agenda remains controversial and politically sensitive. His focus on vaccine safety reportedly prompted the White House to instruct him to refrain from public discussions on the topic during the midterm election period to avoid political fallout. His recent NIH visit was conducted discreetly, accompanied by several senior health officials including Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Erica Schwartz of the CDC, and Kyle Diamantis of the Food and Drug Administration. The Bethesda campus staff was asked to work remotely that day, with limited information provided about the increased security measures.
As the federal government moves forward with this research initiative, public health authorities and vaccine experts emphasize the importance of maintaining scientific rigor and transparency to ensure that vaccine safety remains a priority without undermining public confidence in immunization programs.