On February 13, 2025, immediately following his swearing-in, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Chairman. The commission, composed of cabinet secretaries and top federal officials, aims to investigate the root causes of chronic diseases, particularly in children, and develop an action plan to reverse rising rates of conditions like autism, asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders, and obesity.
Kennedy visited Arizona on April 8th, as part of his "Make America Healthy Again" tour. The visit focused on promoting two Arizona bills, the one that bans ultra-processed foods with harmful additives from public school meals was subsequently signed into law but the one that would have prohibited state food stamp recipients from purchasing soda was vetoed by Governor Hobbs.
Kennedy announced plans to phase out artificial dyes from the U.S. food supply, citing their link to chronic health issues, as part of MAHA’s focus on environmental health and food safety, and has pushed for tighter regulations on air and water contaminants in collaboration with other federal agencies to reduce illnesses like asthma and cancer.
Kennedy is exploring reforms to Medicare’s physician reimbursement system, potentially shifting away from the American Medical Association’s Relative Value Scale Update Committee to prioritize primary care. Emphasizing holistic patient care he has advocated for integrating evidence-based complementary therapies such as acupuncture and dietary supplements into healthcare, .
Kennedy has also announced a significant policy shift requiring that all new vaccines, including updated COVID-19 boosters, undergo placebo-controlled clinical trials before approval.
Kennedy is working within the severe constraints placed on him by Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy (R), in order to secure Cassidy's vote to confirm him as HHS Director. Cassidy chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee. Kennedy must meet frequently with and consult with Cassidy on things such as key hiring decisions, and fall in line with the CDC advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP). Kennedy had to promise not to claim that vaccines cause autism, despite evidence to the contrary. Best of luck, Bobby.