RFK Jr. launches "Make America Healthy Again" overhaul of health agencies

RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda is reshaping NIH priorities toward chronic diseases and away from infectious disease research and vaccine development (Question 1).

HHS under Secretary Kennedy canceled vaccine discovery programs intended to prevent future pandemics, marking a shift away from pandemic preparedness investments (Question 2).

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities would be eliminated under a federal budget proposal, removing a program focused on reducing health gaps among racial, ethnic and underserved populations (Question 3).

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health would be eliminated under the same budget proposal, ending federal funding for research on acupuncture, herbal medicines and other complementary therapies (Question 4).

RFK Jr. has promoted raw milk consumption despite CDC and FDA warnings about risks of Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria infections (Question 5).

RFK Jr. opposes fluoride in drinking water despite CDC endorsement of fluoridation’s tooth decay prevention benefits (Question 6).

During his confirmation hearings, RFK Jr. asserted that Lyme Disease and COVID-19 were engineered as bioweapons, a claim lacking scientific evidence (Question 7).

RFK Jr. holds no formal medical training or medical degree; he is a lawyer and environmental activist who attended Harvard Law School (Question 8).

The Fogarty International Center, which supports global health research collaboration, would be eliminated under the budget proposal (Question 9).

Dr. Robert Malone, RFK Jr.’s appointee to the federal vaccine advisory committee, has promoted unproven alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19 (Question 10).