Hillary Clinton Arranged Meeting for Vaccine Skeptic with Kathleen Sebelius

Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton met with a notorious vaccine skeptic during her tenure as Secretary of State and personally conspired to arrange a meeting for him with Obama administration Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Dr. Mark Hyman is an advocate for alternative “functional medicine.” A television talking head and author, Hyman helped Bill Clinton lose weight by advising him on his dietary habits, but Hyman has reportedly never “collaborated” with Hillary Clinton herself. Nevertheless, Hillary Clinton helped Hyman get face time with top Washington officials just as he was going public with his vaccine skepticism.

In October 2009, Hyman authored a piece for The Huffington Post entitled, “Why Current Thinking About Autism Is Completely Wrong,” in which he suggested that vaccines were responsible for a young boy’s health disorders and critically discussed the impact of thimerosal in vaccines.

Hyman later co-authored a book with vaccine critic Robert Kennedy Jr. entitled “Thimerosal: Let The Science Speak: The Evidence Supporting the Immediate Removal of Mercury – a Known Neurotoxin – From Vaccines.” Hyman also authored a vaccine-bashing piece called “Should I Get The Flu Shot?”

Hyman first checked in with Hillary Clinton.

Hyman emailed Hillary Clinton directly on June 10, 2009 to thank Clinton for her help on an initiative he was working on. Hyman told Clinton:

You have an extraordinarily large heart. Your selflessness and belief in and tireless work for what is true touches me deeply. Thank you for all you have done. I will keep you posted. Don’t know if you have a few minutes for me to stop by after my meeting with nancy at 7 pm today. Or tomorrow for breakfast or a quick hello. Also will be back in DC Friday to do some teaching to doctors. Thank you again so much.

Clinton forwarded Hyman’s email to her top aide Huma Abedin and wrote, “Have you reached Mark yet? I’d be happy to see him as he requested for a drop by.”

A month went by, and Clinton again communicated with Hyman.

“I need time on Thursday or Friday to see [adviser Richard] Holbrooke,” Clinton told Abedin and another State Department staffer in a July 7, 2009 email regarding her schedule. After a redacted passage, Clinton then wrote, “Mark Hyman is in town Wed and Thurs and I’d like to see him.”

Clinton held a private meeting in her office with Hyman from 3:15 PM to 3:45 PM the next day, on Wednesday, July 8, 2009.

A day later, Hyman sent an email to Abedin with the subject line “Secretary Sebelius,” in which he asked for Clinton to set up a meeting between him and the Health and Human Services Secretary, who was then engaged in the political battle to pass Obamacare. Hyman wrote:

Dear Huma, It was great to see you today however briefly. Tim Collins just called me after his meeting with Secretary Sebelius tonight and she was interested in what we are trying to do. Tim suggested it would be helpful if you or the Secretary called to introduce me to her. Then I could set up a meeting tomorrow while I am still here. I am leaving at 630 pm…I would really appreciate it – I think it could help move things along!

Abedin told Hyman that she would check with Clinton and also call Sebelius on his behalf.

“Happy to call,” Abedin replied. “Will check in with hrc.”

Hyman’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.