Public health must not be the realm of amateurs and ideologues. The public — and its elected leaders — should support officials and policies that prioritize science, the funding of robust public health systems and resisting the spread of misinformation. Public health is an investment, not an expense.

RKF Jr. will not only ask the tough questions, he will demand the answers. This is exactly why the nation needs Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of HHS — and why the Senate should move swiftly to confirm him.