michael specter wrote that offit "has become a figure of hatred to the many vaccine denialists and conspiracy theorists." specter reported that offit had often been threatened with violence by anti-vaccine advocates, necessitating precautions such as screening offit's packages for mail bombs and providing guards when offit attends federal health advisory committee meetings. at a 2008 vaccine activism rally in washington, d.c., environmental lawyer robert f. kennedy, jr. criticized offit's ties to drug companies, calling him a "poster child for the term 'biostitute'."