The official purpose of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s marathon Senate confirmation hearings this week was for lawmakers to decide if Kennedy is fit to oversee 80,000 employees and a $1.8 trillion annual budget as secretary of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy Jr. is revising his ethics agreement to divest his interest in litigation against an HPV vaccine maker and directing the stake to his adult son, The New York Times reported Friday, citing a written response to questions from senators who are weighing his confirmation as Health and Human Services secretary.

RFK Jr has long expressed views that conflict with scientific evidence, especially on vaccines, and his nomination has provoked opposition from public health experts. But he has also adopted positions with popular support, scrutinising the use of food additives and urging that the power of big pharma be curbed.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees many of the country’s health agencies, from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The top Republican on the Senate's health committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., faced criticism from fellow Republicans after he suggested his vote for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation as Health and Human Services secretary is not a lock.

The hearings were packed to capacity with protesters and fans, while the spillover crowd hung out in hallways and overflow rooms.