Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation in doubt, the nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services declared in a written statement to senators on Friday that, if confirmed, he will divest his financial stake in an ongoing civil lawsuit against a vaccine manufacturer.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also disclosed that he had reached at least one settlement agreement with a company or individual that has accused him of “misconduct or inappropriate behavior.”

Kennedy Jr, President Donald Trump's pick to run the top U.S. health agency, argued on Thursday that his controversial views on vaccines were misrepresented in a charged Senate Health committee hearing,

Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wasn’t antivaccine as senators pressed on his past remarks, in the first of two days of hearings over his nomination for health secretary.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, told senators Friday he will divest his financial stake in a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Merck over its vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus.