A pediatrician and former state senator now running for a U.S. House seat has sharply criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr., calling him "dangerous and incompetent." Richard Pan, MD, MPH, made the remarks during an interview with MedPage Today's Washington editor, part of the outlet's series on healthcare clinicians seeking elected office.
Pan, a Democrat, previously served in the California State Senate, where he was known for work on vaccination and public health issues. In the interview, he took aim at Kennedy's health-related positions, arguing they are out of step with evidence-based medicine and could harm public health if given influence.
The profile is the latest in MedPage Today's ongoing look at doctors and other clinicians who are running for political office, highlighting how medical backgrounds shape their platforms. Pan's campaign emphasizes his experience as a physician and legislator, and his critique of Kennedy underscores the divide he sees between his own science-driven approach and the rhetoric of prominent vaccine critics.