RFK to keep earning from drug litigation if confirmed as HHS secretary, raising ethical concerns

Source: Scripps News

Posted 1 hour and 33 minutes ago


In a newly filed ethics report, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he plans to keep his financial stake in some pharmaceutical litigation if confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary.

Kennedy said in the report that he has earned more than $2.4 million referring clients to the law firm WisnerBaum. That firm is suing a drug maker over its HPV vaccine, Gardasil. Kennedy said he is contracted to receive 10% of contingency fees awarded to the firm.

Ethics records show he intends to keep collecting fees related to past referrals. That could pose an issue because, as head of Health and Human Services, he would be in a position to oversee policies that affect drug makers.

Kennedy said he is not an attorney of record for the cases and will not provide representational services in connection with cases during his appointment.

Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/rfk-to-keep-earning-from-drug-litigation-if-confirmed-as-hhs-secretary-raising-ethical-concerns