Robert F. Kennedy Junior, recently chosen by President-elect Donald Trump as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in his cabinet, is the center of widespread attention due to a controversial and resurfaced medical claim surface he formulated years ago. .

Kennedy had said a brain abnormality he suffered in 2010 may have been caused by a parasitic worm that entered his brain during a trip to India early in his career.

This claim, initially disclosed during a 2012 deposition and expanded upon in subsequent interviews, resurfaced online following his new appointment.

Kennedy described symptoms at the time as “brain fog,” memory problems and difficulty retrieving words. Initially, medical professionals suspected a tumor, but later tests suggested the abnormality was caused by a parasite, potentially linked to regions like India, where Kennedy had worked on environmental projects.

Kennedy even claimed that the parasite probably died on its own, leading to his recovery. “They said it was almost certainly a parasite that got into your brain. It ate part of it and then died,” he recalled in a podcast earlier this year.

The health problem Kennedy describes has similarities to neurocysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by the pork tapeworm. While such infections often result in seizures and prolonged treatment, Kennedy primarily reported cognitive symptoms, which resolved after the incident.

Kennedy’s health at the time was further complicated by mercury poisoning caused by eating predatory fish. He revealed in the same podcast that tests showed his blood mercury level was more than ten times the safe limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency. He underwent chelation therapy to remove the toxic metal, which he said alleviated his symptoms.

A Kennedy spokesperson clarified earlier this year that both health issues were fully resolved more than a decade ago. “Mr. Kennedy is in good physical and mental health,” the statement said, noting his extensive travels to parts of Asia, Africa and South America as part of his environmental work.