The full US Senate will vote on the nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr  – a noted vaccine sceptic – after its finance committee cleared the name of the controversial Donald Trump pick on party lines. But what could America’s health system look like under Kennedy Jr?

Kennedy has had a long track record of making misleading or outright false statements about important health issues, particularly on vaccination.

Kennedy Jr. is one step closer to becoming the country's top health official, scoring enough votes from the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, Jan. 4 to advance his nomination to the full Senate. During his tumultuous confirmation hearing,

Kennedy Jr. , a vocal vaccine skeptic and activist lawyer, appeared on track to become the nation’s health secretary after winning the crucial support of Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a doctor who says Kennedy has assured him he would not topple the nation’s childhood vaccination program.

In a starkly partisan vote, the Republican-controlled Senate Finance Committee advanced Kennedy’s nomination 14-13, sending his bid to oversee the $1.7 trillion U.S. Health and Human Services agency for a full vote on the Senate floor.

The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to send Kennedy’s bid to lead the Department of Health and Human Services to the full chamber.