Brace yourselves. A new era of genuine care in healthcare and food and water safety begins now. On February 13, 2025, in a bold move for the future of American health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services. His appointment marks a pivotal moment. RFK Jr., with his relentless pursuit of truth and justice, stands as our beacon of hope, promising to cleanse our food, scrutinize our medicines, and purify our water. His vision for a ‘Make America Healthy Again’ initiative demands a public health revolution, where every citizen can trust the system to prioritize their health over profits. Here’s what you might expect from HHS under RFK Jr.’s leadership.

While running for a second term in office, the President tapped Kennedy to run HHS. No matter your feelings about the President, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an impassioned health advocate for the American people. He’s been asking good questions and raising critical concerns about air, water, food, and medication safety.

During RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings, he expertly broke down what he called the nation’s health catastrophe in his opening statement, exposing the alarming trends plaguing millions of Americans.

RFK Jr. continued, “Diabetes is ten times more prevalent than it was during the 1960s. Cancer among young people is rising by one or two percent a year. Autoimmune diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, Alzheimer’s, asthma, ADHD, depression, addiction, and a host of other physical and mental health conditions are all on the rise, some of them exponentially.

The United States has worse health than any other developed nation. Yet we spend more on health care — at least double, and in some cases triple, what other countries spend.

Last year, we spent $4.8 trillion, not counting the indirect cost of missed work.

“A healthy person has a thousand dreams. A sick person has only one. Today, over half of our countrymen and women are chronically ill.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

RFK Jr. claims no other nation has a chronic disease burden like we do in America. We have the highest chronic disease burden of any country in the world.

“This is an existential threat — economically, to our military, to our health, and to our sense of well-being.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

RFK Jr. the holistic health advocate

RFK Jr. discussed the importance of spiritual and physical health during an interview after his confirmation as HHS Secretary. He stated, “We’re not just in a health crisis, we’re in a spiritual crisis,” emphasizing the need to address both aspects to improve the well-being of Americans.

He alluded to what I’m known for saying: humans need a connection to nature and each other. We also need something in our lives that we’re passionate about. You can look in-depth at the “deaths of despair” epidemic among millennials, Gen Zers, and now Gen Alpha in an article (America’s Hidden Crisis: The Mental Health Epidemic) I’ll publish on February 17, 2025.

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What can we expect from RFK Jr. as the HHS secretary?

Here are RFK Jr.’s Stances as Secretary of HHS:

RFK Jr.’s stance on food in America

• RFK Jr. has expressed intentions to overhaul U.S. food policies, mainly focusing on reducing the presence of ultra-processed foods in American diets. He has criticized the influence of Big Agriculture (Big Ag) on food policy, stating intentions to “get the chemicals out” of food. He aims to ban ultra-processed foods from school lunches and restrict certain chemicals in agriculture and food production.

RFK Jr. has commented on the differences in ingredients used in fries between America and other countries. According to various sources, he highlighted that in countries like England, a McDonald’s French fry might only contain three ingredients: potatoes, salt, and tallow fat.

In contrast, he criticized the American version, stating that it contains 17 ingredients, none of which he considers good for health.

He made these remarks in the context of discussing food safety and the health implications of processed food additives, suggesting that the U.S. has lower food standards compared to other nations. This comparison was part of his broader critique of the American food industry and its impact on public health, emphasizing the need for better food standards similar to those in Europe and Asia.

According to Newsweek, the fast-food chain Steak and Shake will remove inflammation-promoting vegetable oil from its fries and replace it with healthier beef tallow or animal fat by the end of February 2025.

RFK Jr. had a positive impact on our food even before his name was considered for the HHS leadership post.

RFK Jr.’s impact on removing Red Dye No. 3

Red Dye No. 3 was removed from cosmetics in 1990. The reason for this removal was due to evidence from studies conducted in the 1980s that linked the dye to thyroid cancer in rats. Under the Delaney Clause, a part of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the FDA must ban any additive found to cause cancer in animals or humans. Therefore, based on these findings, the FDA prohibited using Red Dye No. 3 in cosmetics and topical drugs, citing the potential cancer risk as the primary concern.

However, it wasn’t until January 15, 2025, that the FDA ordered the removal of Red Dye No. 3 from foods due to concerns about its safety. Studies had shown that high doses of Red Dye No. 3 caused cancer in male rats, although the mechanism through which this happens in rats does not occur in humans.

Despite this, the FDA decided to err on the side of caution, citing the law’s requirement to remove any substance linked to cancer in animal testing. The ban was also influenced by growing public and legislative pressure. Food manufacturers have until January 15, 2027, to reformulate their products to exclude this dye. So, to avoid eating or drinking Red Dye No. 3 until then, you’ll need to carefully read the ingredient labels on packaged foods and drinks.

RFK Jr. did not have a direct, official role in the FDA’s decision to remove Red Dye No. 3 from foods and ingested drugs. However, his influence and advocacy indirectly contributed to this decision. RFK Jr. is vocal about his opposition to harmful food additives, including artificial dyes like Red Dye No. 3. His criticisms of the FDA and his focus on removing such additives align with the decision, suggesting that his public stance might have contributed to the broader pressure on the FDA to act. 

RFK Jr.’s stance on water in America

• On water policy, RFK Jr. has notably advocated for removing fluoride from public water supplies, citing concerns about its impact on neurodevelopment or nervous system development based on international research. You can read an easy explanation of how the nervous system works in my recent article 'How Your Body's Major Systems Work.'

Some states have bills or discussions in their legislatures to mandate or prevent fluoride addition. Still, these do not always result in state-wide removal:

• Bills in Arkansas, Hawaii, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah aim to prohibit adding fluoride to public water systems.

• Kentucky and Nebraska are considering bills to change fluoridation mandates.

According to the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR), roughly one percent of the population is hypersensitive to fluoride. This translates into at least three million Americans who might experience severe allergic reactions to fluoride exposure. I’m one of these people.

RFK Jr.’s stance on medicines in America

• RFK Jr. has a well-documented history of skepticism towards medicines, mainly focusing on the safety and efficacy of medicine schedules. He promotes the idea that medicine safety has “huge deficits” and requires more scientific study. His stance has raised significant controversy, especially with his former leadership of the Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group.

Here’s what we might see from RFK Jr. as his first priorities at HHS.

First actions: RFK Jr. as HHS secretary

RFK Jr. has outlined intentions to restructure agencies within HHS, focusing on reducing corporate influence on health policy. Although we don’t know for sure, his first actions are likely to include:

• Initiating reviews or changes to federal medicine recommendations, potentially pushing for more rigorous drug safety studies.

• Advocating for the removal of fluoride from public water systems.

• Cracking down on food additives and ultra-processed foods, possibly by influencing regulations or guidelines related to school nutrition programs.

• Addressing staff changes by potentially removing or replacing career officials with those aligned with his views, particularly at the NIH and FDA.

These actions would reflect his campaign promises under the “Make America Healthy Again” platform, aiming to combat what he perceives as the root causes of chronic disease through significant policy shifts. However, these moves would likely face substantial scrutiny and opposition in Congress, especially concerning prescription drugs and regulatory changes.

What you need to know about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a Cabinet-level department of the U.S. federal government with the primary mission to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans.

Key points about HHS:

• Established: April 11, 1953 (originally as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; renamed in 1979 when Education became its own department).
• Secretary: The head of HHS is the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who is a member of the President’s Cabinet.

Major responsibilities at HHS

• Protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
• Administering Medicare, which provides health insurance for the elderly and specific individuals with disabilities.
• Overseeing Medicaid, a state and federal partnership providing health coverage for people in low-income households.
• Regulating food and drugs through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Managing public health through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Supporting biomedical and public health research via the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
• Addressing child welfare, including adoption and foster care, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). As an adopted kid, I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that we need adoption reform.
• Providing substance abuse and mental health services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Key Agencies under HHS

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Indian Health Service (IHS) should be renamed “Indigenous Health Services,” in my opinion.

• Location: The main office is in Washington, D.C.

In conclusion, as we stand on the brink of this transformative period in American healthcare, the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services offers a promising new chapter where transparency, integrity, and genuine care are not just ideals but the foundation of our healthcare system.

With RFK Jr. at the helm, his commitment to challenging the status quo, particularly the influence of Big Pharma and Big Ag, offers hope for a future where the health of the American people is prioritized over profit.

Kennedy’s vision for "Make America Healthy Again" is more than a slogan; it’s a call to action for a revolution in public health by advocating for cleaner food, safer prescription drugs, and purer water, tackling the root causes of our nation’s health crisis head-on.

His initial steps towards restructuring HHS, reviewing drug policies, and reforming food regulations are critical moves. Though potentially contentious, shifting the paradigm from corporate-driven to people-centered health policy is essential.

While significant changes often face opposition, with the support of the American people, who increasingly demand accountability and safety in their healthcare, RFK Jr. has the opportunity to lead HHS in a direction that truly serves the public good, ensuring health is a right, not a privilege, and fostering a society where the well-being of individuals with disabilities, people in low-income households, and all Americans is genuinely at the forefront.

The time for change is now, and with RFK Jr.’s leadership, we are all poised to become healthy again.

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