Viewpoint: Jim O’Neill: The  controversial longevity promoter and now RFK, Jr.’s second in command stirs worry in the public health community

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new right-hand man, [Jim] O’Neill is expected to wield authority at health agencies that fund biomedical research and oversee the regulation of new drugs.

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And while no one can predict exactly what O’Neill will do, many in the community believe that he could help bring attention and resources to their cause and make it easier for them to experiment with potential anti-aging drugs. 

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His acquaintances include the prominent longevity influencer Bryan Johnson, who describes him as “a soft-spoken, thoughtful, methodical guy,” and the billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel. 

Not everyone working in health is as enthusiastic. If O’Neill still holds the views he has espoused over the years, that’s “worrisome,” says Diana Zuckerman, a health policy analyst and president of the National Center for Health Research…

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“There’s nothing worse than getting a bunch of [early-stage unproven therapies] on the market,” she says. Those products might be dangerous and could make people sick while enriching those who develop or sell them. 

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Some libertarians, including longevity enthusiasts, believe this is their moment to build a new experimental home. 

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