Alexandra Sifferlin, a health and science editor for Times Opinion, hosted an online conversation on Wednesday with the Opinion columnist Zeynep Tufekci and the Opinion writers David Wallace-Wells and Jessica Grose about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first of two confirmation hearings for secretary of health and human services.

Alexandra Sifferlin: A challenge for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in this hearing was convincing senators that he is not a conspiracy theorist who is going to take away everyone’s vaccines. In his opening statement, he stated that he was not “anti-vaccine,” though numerous examples were provided of his longtime vaccine criticism — including a fiery exchange with Senator Bernie Sanders over Kennedy’s former nonprofit selling anti-vaccine baby onesies.

Did Kennedy succeed in offering that assurance?

Jessica Grose: I’m going to have to agree with Senator Ron Wyden, who said, “The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, charlatans — especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines.” Kennedy’s responses did not do much to quell the profound doubts that anyone paying close attention would have. It was especially bad when he had to admit that he “probably did” once say that Lyme disease was a “military-engineered bioweapon.”

David Wallace-Wells: I don’t think he persuaded anyone of much, though I don’t think he really set out to, either. He was working from the playbook of Pete Hegseth and Brett Kavanaugh — defensive, standoffish, evasive and ready to be memed. He didn’t really repudiate past statements, just deflected and counterpunched. More striking to me: He said almost nothing about how to actually make America healthy again.

Grose: David, I also found it telling that he was already referring to President Trump as his “boss” and saying there’s nothing wrong with loving Big Macs. We know that Trump likes fighters. Kennedy has an audience of one that he really cares about.

Zeynep Tufekci: He is obviously good at punting the questions and came prepared to do so. When he was asked if he was a conspiracy theorist, for example, he just said no and claimed that he was called a conspiracy theorist for saying Covid vaccines don’t prevent transmission. But that’s not the real reason. For example, he has falsely claimed that the H.P.V. vaccine increases rates of cancer — and he even stands to potentially benefit from a lawsuit against that vaccine. Meanwhile, the evidence shows that the H.P.V. vaccine is eliminating deaths from cervical cancer. But he didn’t get pushed on that.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.