Robert Peter Kadlec[1] (/ˈkædlɪk/ KAD-lik[2]) is an American physician and career officer in the United States Air Force who served as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services (Preparedness and Response) from August 2017 until January 2021.

[3][4] Kadlec was Deputy Staff Director for the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence when he was nominated by President Donald Trump to become Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an office within Health and Human Services.

Notably, he overruled CDC scientists who objected to the joint evacuation with minimal precautions (separation from non-infected people only by a thin plastic sheet) of Diamond Princess passengers infected with COVID-19.

[10] In April 2020, Kadlec demoted federal scientist Rick Bright, removing him from his position as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and reassigning him to a lower post at the National Institutes of Health.

In April 2020, Kadlec worked with Peter Marks (physician), director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop OWS.

Kadlec and Marks wrote a proposal for then Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar detailing how Operation Warp Speed would screen potential vaccine candidates and eventually distribute final product to all Americans.