Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is under fire after announcing that the United States will stop funding Gavi, a global vaccine alliance that has helped immunize over one billion children since 2000.
In a video message aired during a Gavi donor event on Wednesday, Kennedy—an independent U.S. presidential candidate—said the U.S. will not continue its support until Gavi “re-earns the public trust.” He criticized the organization for its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and claimed it has not done enough to ensure vaccine safety.
Public health experts strongly rejected Kennedy’s statements, warning that pulling U.S. funding could have deadly consequences. Gavi estimates that without U.S. support, around 75 million children may miss their routine vaccinations over the next five years, and 1.2 million could die as a result.
“This pullout will cost hundreds of thousands of children’s lives a year — and RFK Jr. will be personally responsible,” said Atul Gawande, a former top health official at USAID.
Gavi is a global partnership that brings together governments and private groups to provide vaccines in low-income countries. Since its founding, it has prevented nearly 19 million deaths, and it also manages emergency vaccine stockpiles for outbreaks of diseases like Ebola, yellow fever, and cholera.
The United States has been one of Gavi’s biggest donors, contributing about 13% of its total funding. Although Gavi raised over $9 billion this week to fund its next five years of work, it is still short of its $11.9 billion goal.
Despite the setback, other donors have stepped up. The United Kingdom pledged $1.7 billion, remaining Gavi’s top government supporter. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed $1.6 billion, and the European Union pledged about $2.3 billion.
Kennedy’s criticisms focused in part on Gavi’s use of “whole cell” DTP vaccines, which protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (pertussis). While some wealthier countries have moved to a different version of this vaccine that causes fewer short-term side effects, the World Health Organization states that both versions are safe and effective.
Health experts called Kennedy’s statements misleading and dangerous.
“Calling this choice not ‘taking vaccine safety seriously’ is misinformation, plain and simple,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former head of the CDC.
Seth Berkley, Gavi’s former CEO, also pushed back, saying Kennedy’s message was “a mix of misinformation and some disinformation,” and criticized him for using his political position to spread false information.
Kennedy has long been a vocal critic of vaccines, and his stance has fueled ongoing concerns about vaccine misinformation. A recent study, partly funded by Gavi and published in The Lancet, found that global vaccine coverage has stalled or declined. Experts blame the drop on rising distrust, health inequalities, and public confusion about vaccine safety.
Despite the political debate, Gavi remains committed to its mission. In a statement, the group reaffirmed that its “utmost concern is the health and safety of children.”
