Introduction to RFK Jr.’s Health Policy Changes
In just a few short months, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has begun to transform U.S. health policy: shrinking staff at health agencies, restructuring the focus of some regulators and researchers, changing Covid vaccine regulations and reshaping the mission of his department to focus more on alternative medicine.
The Driving Forces Behind the Changes
The directives are all part of the same issue set that drove a slice of health-conscious, left-leaning Americans to eventually vote for a Republican president whose favorite meal is from McDonald’s, Trump and Kennedy catered to a type of voter who has grown distrustful of America’s health care establishment — but possibly fomented a new type of distrust in federal health policy along the way.
Public Approval of RFK Jr.’s Efforts
Bernadine Francis, a lifelong Democrat who backed Joe Biden for president in 2020 before supporting Donald Trump in 2024, told NBC News in an interview that she approves of Kennedy’s efforts so far, despite his “hands being tied” by entrenched forces in the administration and in Congress.
“From what I have seen so far with what RFK has been trying to do,” she said, “I am really, really proud of what he’s doing.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on Capitol Hill on May 14. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images file)
The Shift in Voter Priorities
Francis is among the voters who left the Democratic Party and voted for Trump because “nothing else mattered” apart from public health, which they — like Kennedy — felt was going in the wrong direction.
Concerns about chemicals in food and toxins in the environment, long championed by Democrats, has become a galvanizing issue to a key portion of Trump’s Republican Party, complete with an oversaturation of information that in some cases hasn’t been proven. It’s wrapped up, as well, in concerns about the Covid vaccine, which was accelerated under Trump, administered under Biden and weaponized by anti-vaccine activists like Kennedy amid lockdowns and firings in the wake of the devastating pandemic.
How RFK Jr.’s Picks Are Changing Public Health Agencies
Dr. Marty Makary, Kennedy’s hand-picked commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and a John Hopkins scientist and researcher, told NBC News in an interview that he wants to transform the agency, which he said faced “corruption” over influence from the pharmaceutical and food industries.
“I mean, you look at the food pyramid, it was not based on what’s best for you, it was based on what companies wanted you to buy,” he said, referring to the 1992 and later iterations of official government nutritional guidance. He said there would be “entirely new nutrition guidance” released later this year, as soon as this summer.
New Directions in FDA Research
He praised the FDA’s mission of research and regulation, saying the agency is “incredibly well-oiled, and we’ve got the trains running on time.”
He also highlighted the 75-page “Make America Healthy Again” commission report — which focused on ultraprocessed foods and toxins in the environment — as having set “the agenda for research” at the FDA, HHS and agencies overseeing social safety net programs such as Medicare and food stamps moving forward.
The Intersection of Medicine and Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a breast cancer oncologist and integrative medicine doctor — a physician who combines conventional treatments with research-based alternative therapies — has tried to help her patients wade through medical misinformation they encounter online and in their social circles.
Mussallem has an incredible story of personal survival: While in medical school, she was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and, after conventional therapies like chemo saved her life, was diagnosed with heart failure. After undergoing a heart transplant, Mussallem ran a 26-mile marathon just one year later.
Balancing Conventional and Alternative Therapies
“I learned a lot in medical school, but nothing compared to what I learned being a patient,” said Mussallem, who dedicates, on average, 90 minutes each in one-on-one sessions with her patients. “This is not about any one political choice. But we know lifestyle matters.”
For example, a new study from the American Society of Clinical Oncology that finds eating food that lowers inflammation in the body may help people with advanced colon cancer survive longer.
Conclusion
The changes implemented by RFK Jr. are indicative of a significant shift in U.S. health policy, with a greater emphasis on alternative medicine and lifestyle choices. While some have expressed support for these changes, others have raised concerns about the potential consequences of prioritizing unproven therapies over conventional medicine. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, it is essential to consider the potential impacts of these changes on public health.
FAQs
Q: What changes has RFK Jr. made to U.S. health policy?
A: RFK Jr. has implemented changes to shrink staff at health agencies, restructure the focus of regulators and researchers, alter Covid vaccine regulations, and shift the mission of his department to focus more on alternative medicine.
Q: Why have some voters supported RFK Jr.’s changes?
A: Some voters, like Bernadine Francis, have supported RFK Jr.’s changes due to concerns about public health and the influence of pharmaceutical and food industries on health policy.
Q: What is the role of the FDA in implementing RFK Jr.’s vision?
A: The FDA, under the leadership of Dr. Marty Makary, is working to transform the agency and prioritize research on ultraprocessed foods and toxins in the environment.
Q: How do conventional and alternative therapies intersect in modern medicine?
A: Dr. Dawn Mussallem’s approach to integrative medicine combines conventional treatments with research-based alternative therapies, highlighting the importance of lifestyle choices in maintaining good health.
