Trump to Discuss Vaccination Policy with RFK Jr.

President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he will discuss the possibility of ending some childhood vaccination programs with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Trump suggested that if he believes certain vaccines are dangerous or not beneficial, he might consider scrapping them, although he does not expect this decision to be controversial. He acknowledged the rising autism rates but deflected when asked about a personal belief in a link between vaccines and autism, stating he would listen to Kennedy's views. Kennedy, known for his vaccine skepticism, has long promoted the debunked notion of a vaccine-autism connection and has promised to investigate this if confirmed. Multiple studies, including a comprehensive 2014 meta-analysis, have found no evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism, while advocacy groups like Autism Speaks affirm their support for the scientific consensus on vaccine safety. Trump's administration may further fuel vaccine skepticism amid a backdrop of increasing autism diagnoses, which have risen dramatically over the past two decades.