Kennedy Jr. Refutes Warren's Claim of a Gardasil Settlement Conflict

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied that he or his family received any money from a Merck Gardasil settlement after Senator Elizabeth Warren suggested a possible conflict of interest.

Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly questioned whether Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Health and Human Services Secretary, benefited financially from a Merck settlement related to the Gardasil vaccine. Kennedy countered on X, emphasizing that neither he, his son, nor any family member received any money from the settlement and that he had transferred any potential claim to the Wisner Baum law firm before his confirmation.

He accused several outlets editorial board, and other outlets of advancing a false narrative that protects pharmaceutical interests. Kennedy also highlighted his agenda to limit drug advertising and overhaul HHS regulatory panels he says are dominated by industry-linked experts. The article notes a prior one outlet's report that Warren received $5 million from pharmaceutical donors during her 2020 presidential campaign, framing the exchange as a broader partisan clash over drug policy.