Buyers were spooked by Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The areas are now making their presence felt regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as head of the Department of Health and Human Services. Credit… Carlos Barria/Reuters A billion-dollar hit to Big PharmaThat did n’t take long. Shortly after Donald Trump named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, shares in major vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer and Moderna, began to decline. Picking Kennedy, huge a controversial figure in the worlds of public health and food legislation, underscored the president-elect’s desire to destroy Washington with very innovative cabinet picks. Whether Kennedy — or Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth or Tulsi Gabbard, for that matter — you find Senate confirmation is another issue. According to the decision, Trump wants to completely overhaul American public health policy. Kennedy’s controversial views — including skepticism about vaccines, insecticides and water fluoridation — are well known. ( As is his sowing of misinformation. ) But he has now been picked to guide a large department with 80, 000 people, whose laws affect America’s food and medicine choices. It appeared probable that Kennedy would have a significant influence because he had important political backing for Trump during the strategy. Trump is seeking to give him real power to, in the president-elect’s words, help “ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives” .How far will Kennedy go? In his own opinions, he said he wanted to” wash up corruption, stop the revolving door between industry and government, and transfer our health authorities to their wealthy history of gold-standard, evidence-based knowledge”. He has now retaliated against company employees. Kennedy, who is perhaps best known for his skepticism regarding vaccines, stated last week to NPR that” we’re not going to get vaccines apart from person.” The post articles is retrievable with difficulty. In your browser’s settings, kindly help Browser. Thank you for your patience while exposure is verified. If you are in Audience mode please leave and log into your Times accounts, or listen for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while accessibility is verified. Presently a customer? Register in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.