NIH Chair Cites Zero Budget for Clinic

Jack Leslie, chair of the board overseeing the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center Research Hospital, stated that the new vaccine injury clinic adds no incremental budget to the institution.

During a recent regularly scheduled meeting, Leslie addressed the board regarding Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent initiatives. He noted that the clinic, which opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, does not come with additional funding or dedicated clinic space. The event featured a panel of individuals describing themselves as vaccine injured, who sat behind placards and spoke with Kennedy and other senior administration officials.

Leslie described the hospital as a destination for patients with rare conditions or those who have exhausted other options. He referred to the facility as a house of hope. He argued that Kennedy's high-profile anti-vaccine activities could damage this standing. Leslie said that silence from the advisory board would be a failing. He added that he believes people who believe they have been injured should be taken seriously.

The hospital chief executive officer, Jonathan Green, supported Leslie's account. Green stated that the NIH has researched vaccine safety and efficacy for decades. He characterized the new clinic as one more individual protocol within the existing research framework. Green noted that the work continues without change in scope.

The remarks highlight a distinction between the public launch and the operational reality. The clinic operates without new financial resources or physical space. It joins an existing center that already studies vaccine injuries. The board chair and the chief executive both confirmed that the new entity is a modest addition to current operations rather than a separate financial line item.

The next scheduled board meeting will follow the standard quarterly calendar. No additional agenda items regarding the clinic were announced during the session.