RFK Jr. Unveils ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Strategy, Sparks Debate on Vaccines, Mental Health, and Food Policy

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially unveiled the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) strategy on Tuesday, outlining a broad initiative to combat chronic diseases, investigate vaccine injuries, and scrutinize pharmaceutical practices. Joined by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Kennedy presented a plan that largely aligns with a draft circulated in August, emphasizing public education and research over immediate, stringent regulatory actions.

The MAHA strategy focuses on several key areas. It proposes a framework for studying cumulative exposures to chemicals, including pesticides and microplastics, and promises investment in new farming approaches to reduce chemical use. The report also reiterates ongoing efforts by the FDA to define ultraprocessed foods and suggests new user-friendly dietary guidelines later this year.

However, the strategy has already drawn significant criticism, particularly concerning its stance on vaccines and mental health. Kennedy, who has previously questioned vaccine safety and linked SSRI antidepressants to violence, announced that HHS will assemble a working group to evaluate SSRI prescribing patterns, especially among children, and will work on a new vaccine framework to ensure “America has the best childhood vaccine schedule.”

Medical experts have swiftly pushed back. Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera of the American Psychiatric Association argued that access to care, not over-medication, is the primary mental health challenge for children, dismissing claims of SSRI-induced violence as lacking scientific evidence. Environmental and food activists also expressed disappointment, noting that the report falls short of earlier promises to ban toxic pesticides and lacks concrete regulatory actions against industry.

Despite the controversy, some experts like Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts Food is Medicine Institute acknowledged the ambition and potential positive impact of parts of the report, particularly the focus on defining ultraprocessed foods. Others, however, like Dr. Richard Besser of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, expressed skepticism, citing Kennedy’s track record of cuts to health programs and research as undermining the strategy’s credibility. The report also mentions ongoing studies into the causes of autism, with NIH expected to announce research grants this month, and recent suggestions of a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism development.

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