Jack Leslie tells NIH board new vaccine clinic lacks budget and space

Jack Leslie, chair of the board overseeing the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Research Hospital, warned the group that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new vaccine injury clinic could damage the institution's standing. Leslie made the statement during a regularly scheduled board meeting, pausing his planned agenda to address the issue directly. He spoke for approximately six minutes, criticizing the health secretary's recent actions at the hospital.

The tension stems from Kennedy's surprise appearance at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new clinic. The event featured a panel of individuals who identified themselves as vaccine-injured. They sat behind signs reading "vaccine injured" while speaking with Kennedy and other senior Trump administration officials. Leslie cautioned that these anti-vaccine activities threaten the hospital's reputation. Staff and patients often refer to the facility as a "house of hope" because it serves people with rare conditions or those who have exhausted other treatment options.

Leslie acknowledged that some board members might prefer he avoid criticizing the secretary. He argued that silence would represent a failure of the advisory board's duty. "But I think that that would be a failing as an advisory board if we were silent," he said. The chair clarified that his objection targets the public presentation of the clinic rather than the science of studying vaccine harms. He stated that serious vaccine reactions are rare but real and that patients should be taken seriously.

Hospital CEO Jonathan Green supported Leslie's assessment regarding the clinic's operational scale. Green noted that the NIH has researched vaccine safety and efficacy for decades. He described the new clinic as one additional protocol within the existing research structure. Green emphasized that the clinic arrives without new funding or extra clinic space. The NIH already maintains a center dedicated to studying vaccine injuries.

Leslie's comments contrast the high-profile nature of the launch with the clinic's limited practical footprint. The board chair focused on the potential reputational risk for a hospital serving vulnerable patients. Green's remarks positioned the clinic as a modest addition to ongoing work. Both leaders agreed that the new facility does not change the fundamental research mission of the hospital.

The board meeting concluded with the two executives outlining their positions. Leslie maintained that the visual impact of the ceremony matters to the public. Green reiterated that the scientific work continues unchanged. The clinic will operate using existing hospital resources and staff. No new budget lines were allocated for the specific vaccine injury clinic.