Here's how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promised to remake the nation's top health agencies

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his opposition to vaccines and his dedication to environmental issues, has built a strong and passionate following over the years through his sharp criticisms of the way the country's public health organizations operate.

This has put him in direct opposition to the roughly 80,000 professionals—including scientists, researchers, doctors, and other officials—employed by the Department of Health and Human Services. This tension is particularly significant as President-elect Donald Trump has chosen him to lead the agency.

If it gets the green light, Kennedy will oversee the biggest public health organization globally, along with its budget of $1.7 trillion.

The agency has a wide-ranging impact. It offers health insurance to almost half of the nation, including low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and senior citizens. Additionally, it manages research into vaccines, illnesses, and treatments. It also controls the medications available in our homes and examines the food items that we store in our pantries.

An examination of Kennedy's remarks regarding various agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and his intentions to implement significant changes within them:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing the safety and efficacy of food products, medications, and other related items.

In late October, he posted on X, stating, “The FDA's battle against public health is nearing its conclusion. To those employed by the FDA who are involved in this corrupt system, I have two important pieces of advice: 1. Keep your documents safe, and 2. Start preparing to leave.”

The FDA employs 18,000 people, including professional scientists, researchers, and inspectors who ensure that prescription medications, vaccines, and various medical items are safe and effective. Additionally, the agency plays a significant role in regulating a wide range of consumer products, such as cosmetics, e-cigarettes, and most food items.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the legal power to restructure itself without needing approval from Congress in order to ensure the safety of food, medications, medical devices, and other items.

Kennedy has consistently criticized the FDA's actions regarding vaccines. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, his nonprofit organization, Children’s Health Defense, requested that the FDA stop the use of all COVID vaccines. The organization claims that the FDA is influenced by large pharmaceutical companies, as a significant portion of its funding comes from industry fees. Additionally, some former FDA employees have taken jobs with drug manufacturers after leaving the agency.

His criticisms have become broader, with Kennedy proposing the elimination of “entire departments” within the FDA, such as the center focused on food and nutrition. This program plays a crucial role in preventing illnesses caused by food, encouraging health and wellness, lowering the risk of chronic diseases linked to diet, and ensuring the safety of chemicals in food products.

In the previous month, Kennedy took to social media to warn that he might dismiss FDA staff for what he called the "harsh censorship" of various unproven products and treatments. This includes items like stem cells, raw milk, psychedelics, and discredited therapies from the COVID period such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.

For instance, regarding hydroxychloroquine, the agency stopped its emergency use once they found that it didn't work for treating COVID and could increase the likelihood of serious heart problems that could be life-threatening.

Drinking raw milk has historically been seen as dangerous by the FDA due to the presence of various bacteria that can cause illness, and it has been associated with numerous outbreaks of sickness.

If confirmed, Kennedy could potentially reverse nearly any decision made by the FDA. There have been a few unusual instances of this happening in past administrations. For example, during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rejected the FDA's approvals regarding the access to emergency contraceptives.

Dismantling FDA regulations or withdrawing approval for well-established vaccines and medications would probably be a more complicated task. The FDA has extensive protocols for taking drugs off the market, which rely on federal laws created by Congress. If these procedures aren’t adhered to, pharmaceutical companies could file lawsuits that would have to navigate the legal system.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

In a social media post back in November, Kennedy mentioned that on January 20, the Trump administration will recommend that all public water systems in the United States eliminate fluoride from their water supplies.

The CDC's advice on fluoride is just one of the many suggestions the agency offers to fulfill its goal of safeguarding Americans against disease outbreaks and public health risks.

The organization operates with a central budget of $9.2 billion and employs over 13,000 staff members.

Just days prior to Trump’s win, Kennedy expressed his intention to change the agency's guidelines concerning fluoride levels in drinking water. Currently, the CDC advises that fluoride should be maintained at a concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter.

The suggestions have enhanced dental health and decreased the occurrence of cavities by replenishing minerals that are typically lost over time. However, increased fluoride levels have led to uneven discoloration of teeth, which resulted in the U.S. government reducing its guidelines from 1.2 milligrams per liter of water in 2015.

Water supplies are managed by local and state authorities, with certain states requiring specific fluoride concentrations as dictated by state legislation.

Kennedy, who has claimed that “no vaccine is both safe and effective,” would oversee the selection of members for a committee of key experts responsible for guiding vaccine recommendations for healthcare providers and the public. This group would address various vaccines, including those for polio and measles for young children, which are designed to guard against serious illnesses, as well as vaccines for older adults that protect against risks like shingles and pneumonia. They would also cover vaccinations for unique threats faced by international travelers and laboratory personnel.

National Health Institutes

"We must move quickly," Kennedy reportedly stated at an event in Scottsdale, Arizona, over the weekend. "By January 21, we want 600 individuals to enter the offices at NIH, and we expect 600 individuals to exit."

The agency allocates a budget of $48 billion to support medical research focused on cancers, vaccines, and various other illnesses by providing competitive grants to researchers at institutions across the country. Additionally, the agency carries out its own research, employing thousands of scientists in its laboratories located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Some of the innovations funded by NIH include a treatment for opioid dependency, a vaccine designed to prevent cervical cancer, various new cancer treatments, and the rapid creation of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19.

Previously, Kennedy has expressed disappointment in the NIH for their insufficient efforts in researching the connection between vaccines and autism.

Kennedy advocates for allocating 50% of the NIH budget to focus on "preventive, alternative, and holistic health methods," as he stated in a September article for the Wall Street Journal. He argues that the existing system does not provide researchers with sufficient motivation to explore generic medications and therapies that address underlying causes, such as dietary factors.

Kennedy aims to stop the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from providing funding to researchers who have financial conflicts of interest. He references a 2019 investigation by ProPublica, which discovered that over 8,000 health researchers receiving federal funds had serious conflicts, including owning shares in biotech firms or licensing patents to pharmaceutical companies.

The agencies responsible for Medicare and Medicaid services

During a town hall meeting in Philadelphia on September 30, Kennedy stated that if a patient has diabetes or obesity, it's important for doctors to suggest options like a gym membership and healthy meals. He argued that Medicaid should cover these costs just like it does for medications such as Ozempic.

Kennedy hasn't placed as much emphasis on the agency that allocates over $1.5 trillion each year to offer health care services to more than half of the nation through programs like Medicaid, Medicare, or the Affordable Care Act.

While Trump and other Republicans have made threats regarding certain aspects of that coverage, Kennedy has kept quiet about it.

Instead, he has been a vocal critic of Medicare and Medicaid providing coverage for costly weight-loss medications, such as Ozempic or Zepbound. These drugs aren’t generally covered by either program, but there is some bipartisan backing in Congress to alter that.

While addressing a congressional roundtable in September, Kennedy expressed his concern about certain individuals backing this initiative, highlighting that it might lead to a financial burden of trillions of dollars for the U.S. government. However, a precise estimate of the costs for the government to fund these medications has yet to be established.

Kennedy has stated that Medicare and Medicaid should focus on offering gym memberships and covering the cost of healthier food options for their participants.

Kennedy stated, "With just half the cost of Ozempic, we could provide every American who is obese with organic food that’s grown sustainably, enough for three meals a day, along with a gym membership."

This report includes contributions from Associated Press writers Carla K. Johnson in Seattle and Mike Stobbe in New York.