HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing some serious heat from “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) activists after he decided to extend liability protections for drugmakers who are working on treatments for the Andes hantavirus strain, The Hill reported. It’s a move that’s definitely raising some eyebrows given his past positions.
Just last week, the HHS extended legal protections for manufacturers and distributors of the experimental antiviral drug favipiravir. These protections are in place through July 18 and are specifically for favipiravir’s potential use as a hantavirus treatment. The decision covers passengers who might have been exposed to the Andes virus on the M/V Hondius cruise ship and anyone who had close contact with those individuals.
Kennedy signed a Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act declaration to make this happen. If you’re not familiar, the PREP Act is a big deal because it gives health product manufacturers some crucial legal protections during a pandemic or other declared public health crisis. Kennedy explained his reasoning on social platform X earlier this month, writing, “This action helps remove barriers to research and response efforts while we continue monitoring the recent outbreak linked to the South Atlantic cruise ship.”
However, this move hasn’t sat well with some of RFK Jr.’s staunchest supporters
Critics, including his longtime ally and former campaign communications director Del Bigtree, are part of the MAHA movement that has been vocal about similar protections in the past. It’s an interesting turn, especially since Kennedy himself has previously expressed a willingness to try and end liability protections for vaccine manufacturers.
In response to the backlash, the HHS chief quickly pushed back against accusations that he was caving to corporate interests. He took to a separate social media post to directly address the concerns, stating, “Don’t believe Internet fearmongers. HHS defends public health AND supports medical freedom — period.” He also made it a point to clarify that the department’s actions don’t apply to vaccines. He emphasized that this isn’t paving the way for a new mRNA vaccine or giving “Big Pharma new, limitless protections from liability.”
The Andes strain of hantavirus causes a respiratory disease, and it sadly led to a deadly outbreak on a cruise ship just last month. There are currently no available antiviral treatments or vaccines for this specific strain, which makes the search for effective interventions incredibly urgent.
The PREP Act itself has become quite controversial, acting as a lightning rod for criticism from some GOP lawmakers and medical freedom activists. Its extensive use during the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed the government to secure vaccines, antivirals, and other potential treatments, is a major point of contention. In fact, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) have actively tried to repeal the law. It’s clear this legislation sparks strong feelings on both sides.
Despite the current debate, the PREP Act has a history of being used in various public health scenarios. The HHS confirms that there are existing PREP Act declarations for other serious health threats like smallpox, mpox, Zika, anthrax, and viral hemorrhagic fevers, among others. It shows that while controversial, it’s a tool that’s been in the government’s toolkit for a while now.
Published: May 26, 2026 07:15 pm