Rich Danker, RFK Jr.’s Top Spokesman, Resigns in Protest Over New Vaping Policy
The chief spokesperson for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resigned on Wednesday in protest over the administration’s push to permit main tobacco corporations to start promoting flavored vapes that enchantment to youngsters. His departure got here at some point after the top of the Food and Drug Administration quit for the same reason.
In aletter to Mr. Trump, obtained by The New York Times, the spokesperson, Rich Danker, didn’t blame the president, whom he mentioned had “twice restored our prosperity and national security against all odds.” But he warned that authorizing flavored e-cigarettes would draw extra youngsters into vaping and improve their threat for a lot of well being points, from dependancy to most cancers.
The letter cited unnamed “senior HHS officials,” apart from Mr. Kennedy, who had been behind steps together with a brand new policy posted on the FDA web site on Friday, in which the company mentioned it might take steps to take away illicit e-cigarettes from the market and permit gross sales of those who have already crossed hurdles towards company approval.
Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA commissioner, who resigned on Tuesday, sought to dam the advertising and marketing of flavored e-cigarettes, however was overruled. Mr. Trump was personally concerned advancing it. In his letter, Mr. Danker didn’t identify Dr. Makary, however he echoed Dr. Makary’s objections.
“Senior HHS officials in the immediate office of the secretary have in recent months sought US Food and Drug Administration marketing approval of e-cigarette flavors that would appeal to children and expose them to nicotine addiction, lung damage and higher risk of cancer,” Mr. Danker wrote.
Mr. Danker added that routine approval of the merchandise would undermine a coverage the company issued in March“with the support of the White House.”
Mr. Danker’s resignation comes at a very fraught time for the Department of Health and Human Services. With Dr. Makary’s resignation on Tuesday, the division now has three main vacancies. The positions of surgeon basic and director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are additionally unfilled.
As the assistant secretary for public affairs for the Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Danker was answerable for coordinating the division’s outward communications. He was in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the place Mr. Kennedy is talking at a convention on the potential hyperlink between weight loss plan and most cancers.
He is the second assistant secretary for public affairs to stop. Thomas Corry, Mr. Kennedy’s first high spokesperson, resigned after two weeks, partly in protest of the best way Mr. Kennedy dealt with a meals outbreak in Texas.