Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Senate Finance Committee Hearing on Thursday

September 5, 2025 - By Mark Del Monte, JD, Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President, American Academy of Pediatrics 

"Secretary Kennedy’s claim that the American Academy of Pediatrics is “gravely conflicted” is false and misleading. The AAP's financial statements are publicly available for full transparency. Less than 4% of our revenue comes from industry sources.  

AAP’s flagship journal, Pediatrics, is an independent, peer-reviewed scientific publication with strict conflict-of-interest and disclosure policies that ensure unbiased, evidence-based content. Suggesting otherwise is an attempt to undermine the trust families place in pediatricians. 

Pediatricians recommend vaccines for one reason only: they are proven, safe, and among the most effective tools we have to protect children’s health and stop the spread of disease in our communities."  

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics