Kennedy’s Lawyer Petitions FDA to Revoke Polio Vaccine, Sparks Concern Among Public Health Experts

Aaron Siri, a lawyer known for his anti-vaccine legal battles, has petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke approval of the polio vaccine.

This move has raised alarms among public health experts, especially as Siri plays a prominent role in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plans to reshape vaccine policy if he is confirmed as Health Secretary under President-elect Donald Trump.

Siri, a key figure in vaccine-related lawsuits, is also a close ally of Kennedy. He has filed a petition on behalf of the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), a nonprofit organization that challenges vaccine mandates.

His petition against the polio vaccine, submitted in 2022, is part of a broader effort to challenge vaccines, as he is also pushing for the suspension of 13 other vaccines, including those for hepatitis B, diphtheria, and tetanus.

Siri has built a career challenging vaccine mandates and policies. He was behind lawsuits that delayed New York City’s flu shot requirement for preschoolers and struck down COVID-19 vaccine mandates in San Diego public schools. Through his law firm, Siri & Glimstad, he oversees around 40 legal professionals working on vaccine-related cases.

Siri's rise to prominence in anti-vaccine circles has caused concern for many public health officials. As Kennedy’s personal lawyer, Siri has been involved in selecting candidates for top health positions in the incoming Trump administration.

There are reports that Kennedy wants Siri to take on the role of general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). While Siri has stated that he could have more influence working from outside the administration, his proximity to Kennedy and his role in shaping vaccine policy have raised red flags for health experts.

The polio vaccine, credited with saving millions of lives, has long been considered one of the most important medical breakthroughs in history. Public health experts are particularly worried because polio, while largely eradicated in the U.S., remains a global threat.

In 2022, a case of polio paralysis was reported in an unvaccinated man in New York, underscoring the continued presence of the virus. “It’s an airplane ride away,” warned Dr. Kathryn Edwards, a vaccine scientist from Vanderbilt University who was subjected to one of Siri’s lengthy legal depositions.

Despite his aggressive legal tactics, Siri insists that he is not anti-vaccine. In testimony before Arizona legislators, he said, "You want to get the vaccine — it’s America, a free country.” However, he has simultaneously pushed for vaccines like polio and hepatitis B to be pulled from the market until placebo-controlled clinical trials are conducted.

Critics argue that such trials are unethical, as they would require some children to be left unvaccinated and exposed to deadly diseases. “You’re substituting a theoretical risk for a real risk,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Siri’s critics accuse him of cherry-picking data to support anti-vaccine claims, leading to increased vaccine hesitancy in the U.S. Dr. Stanley Plotkin, the creator of the rubella vaccine, called Siri "a danger to public health."

He added, "I find him laughable in many ways — except, of course, that he’s a danger to public health." Siri's legal depositions of renowned vaccine scientists like Dr. Plotkin and Dr. Edwards, which lasted up to nine hours, were shared online by his supporters, turning respected scientists into targets for anti-vaccine activists.

Siri’s influence extends beyond his lawsuits. He has forced the FDA to disclose internal documents regarding Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine approval, after filing a lawsuit that required the agency to process over 1.2 million pages of records.

The FDA reported spending $3.5 million to comply with Siri's demands. Critics, like Georgetown University public health law expert Lawrence O. Gostin, argue that this tactic is a deliberate strategy to overwhelm public health agencies with paperwork, hampering their ability to fulfill their duties.

Public health experts fear that if Kennedy becomes the Health Secretary, his close relationship with Siri could significantly alter U.S. vaccine policy.

Kennedy has said he supports "vaccine transparency and giving people a choice," but his critics argue that his close ties to figures like Siri, who openly challenge the legitimacy of life-saving vaccines, could destabilize long-established public health safeguards.