NIH Board Chair Rebukes Kennedy Over Vaccine Clinic Launch

The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center serves as a final destination for patients with rare or complex conditions, a role that board chair Jack Leslie says is now under pressure from political activity. At a regularly scheduled meeting, Leslie delivered a six-minute critique of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the recent opening of a vaccine injury clinic at the facility.

Leslie described the hospital as a "house of hope" and warned that Kennedy's anti-vaccine stance could tarnish that standing. The criticism followed a surprise ribbon-cutting ceremony where Kennedy appeared with a panel of individuals claiming vaccine injuries. The attendees sat behind placards labeled "vaccine injured" while speaking with Kennedy and other senior Trump administration officials.

"But I think that that would be a failing as an advisory board if we were silent," Leslie said. He acknowledged that some members might prefer the board not criticize the secretary's efforts, but he argued that remaining quiet would be incorrect.

Leslie clarified that his objection was not to the scientific study of vaccine harms. He stated that serious reactions are "rare, but real" and that those who believe they have been injured should "be taken seriously." He emphasized that the board supports rigorous inquiry into potential injuries.

Jonathan Green, the hospital's chief executive officer, supported Leslie's account from his seat next to the board chair. Green noted that the NIH has researched vaccine safety and efficacy for decades. He characterized the new clinic as a single additional "protocol" rather than a major structural change. Green pointed out that the clinic arrives without new funding or extra physical space.

The NIH already maintains a center dedicated to studying vaccine injuries. The new clinic launched by Kennedy does not add to that existing research capacity in terms of budget or square footage. The remarks from both leaders suggest a disconnect between the high-profile public event and the clinic's operational reality.

The board's next steps will involve continuing its oversight of the hospital's research activities. The clinic will operate within the existing framework of the Clinical Center's protocols, according to Green.