Science & health
NIH hospital board warns Kennedy’s vaccine clinic could damage its reputation
The chair of the board overseeing the NIH Clinical Center warned that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s highly publicized vaccine-injury clinic could tarnish the hospital’s reputation. Jack Leslie said possible vaccine injuries should be studied and patients taken seriously, but noted that NIH already conducts such research. Hospital CEO Jonathan Green described the new clinic as an individual protocol rather than an expansion with additional funding or space. The concerns reflect institutional opposition to the presentation and branding of the initiative, not opposition to investigating adverse reactions.
Editorial summary · Publisher article
What matters
- The board chair said serious vaccine reactions are rare but real and warrant investigation.
- NIH already has a center studying vaccine injuries, according to the hospital’s leadership.
- The new clinic reportedly adds a protocol rather than funding or clinic space.
- Leslie said the board would fail in its advisory role if it remained silent.
Context & caveats
- The account reports the board leaders’ views and does not independently assess the clinic’s medical work or outcomes.
Why this made the edition
The report provides direct remarks from the NIH Clinical Center board chair and CEO, distinguishes vaccine-injury research from the new clinic, and explains the institutional concern.
Source material