NIH board chair: New vaccine clinic risks hospital's 'house of hope' reputation

Jack Leslie, chair of the board overseeing the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Research Hospital, told members this week that a new vaccine injury clinic could damage the institution's public image. Leslie made the remark during a regularly scheduled meeting, pausing his standard opening pleasantries to spend about six minutes addressing the issue directly.

The board chair focused his criticism on the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the clinic, which Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. opened with a surprise appearance. Kennedy sat with a panel of individuals who described themselves as having been harmed by vaccines. Those panelists sat behind signs reading "vaccine injured" and engaged in conversation with Kennedy and other senior Trump administration officials.

Leslie described the hospital as a "house of hope," a nickname that reflects its role as a final destination for patients with rare conditions or those who have used up other treatment options. He argued that the high-profile nature of Kennedy's anti-vaccine activities poses a risk to that specific reputation. "But I think that that would be a failing as an advisory board if we were silent," Leslie said, acknowledging that some members might prefer he avoid criticizing the secretary's efforts.

The board chair clarified that his objection was not to the scientific study of vaccine harms. He stated that he has no concerns about investigating potential injuries and noted that serious reactions are rare but real. "Be taken seriously" was his instruction for people who believe they have been injured, according to his remarks.

Jonathan Green, the hospital's chief executive officer, sat beside Leslie at the meeting and offered a different perspective on the clinic's scale. Green stated that the NIH has studied vaccine safety and efficacy for decades and that this work continues. He characterized the new clinic as just one more individual "protocol" within the hospital's existing operations.

Green emphasized that the clinic comes with no additional funding and no extra clinic space. This practical detail contrasts with the spectacle of the launch event. The NIH already maintains a center dedicated to studying vaccine injuries, meaning the new initiative builds on existing infrastructure rather than creating a new department.

The meeting concluded with the board hearing both the reputational concerns raised by Leslie and the operational details provided by Green. No new votes were recorded, and the agenda returned to its standard items following the discussion.