RFK Jr. Addresses FDA Staff on 'Deep State' and 'Autism Epidemic'

RFK Jr.'s Address to FDA Staff

• 🎯 RFK Jr. addressed FDA staff, discussing the "deep state" and its influence on the agency, alongside comments on an "autism epidemic."
• ⚠️ Some FDA staffers were reportedly stunned and disturbed by his remarks, with some walking out.
• 🗣️ Kennedy stated that the FDA, like other institutions, has been "captured by the industries that they're supposed to regulate."

'Deep State' and Agency Capture

• 🔍 Kennedy explicitly stated, "The deep state is real," and highlighted "institutional pressures" affecting government bodies.
• 💡 He suggested that agencies like the FDA have turned away "dissidents" and proponents of "alternative medicines."

Comments on Autism and Developmental Disabilities

• 🧩 RFK Jr. recounted experiences working with children with developmental disabilities, using terms that some staffers found offensive.
• 💬 He described children with "full blown autism" in a way that caused distress among attendees.
• 📢 An HHS spokesperson clarified that Kennedy's remarks were factually misinterpreted and that he was referring to his experiences at a state school for the "mentally retarded."
• 🔬 Kennedy has a history of misrepresenting autism data and linking it to vaccinations, and announced an HHS effort to determine the cause of the "autism epidemic."

FDA Restructuring and Tariffs

• 📉 The meeting occurred during a significant restructuring of HHS, with approximately 20,000 employees expected to leave, including about 3,500 from the FDA.
• 📈 Industry analysts anticipate this restructuring could impact the drug approval process.
• 🚢 The discussion also touched upon the administration's plans to impose tariffs on semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports, a move that breaks historical precedent by including medicines in trade wars.