Kennedy has faced scrutiny during his nomination over his ties to Los Angeles-based law firm Wisner Baum, which specializes in pharmaceutical drug injury cases.
He has an arrangement to earn 10% of fees awarded in contingency cases he refers to the firm, according to a letter Kennedy wrote to an HHS ethics official released in January. In that letter Kennedy wrote that if confirmed he would retain that financial interest in cases that do not directly impact the U.S. government.
After his confirmation hearings last week, Kennedy sent a supplemental letter, dated Feb. 1, to HHS, writing he will assign his right to receive payment from cases not directly impacting the U.S. government to a non-dependent, adult family member.