asane

Is RFK Jr. anti-vaccine? What we know about potential health policies

Online Niel November 9, 2024

With Donald Trump as official elected presidentquestions have been raised about who he will assign to his staff. A name on many minds is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy, who ran for president as an independent before abandoned in August 2024 and endorsing Trump, said he was promised “control” of several health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Health and Human Services and others.

With nothing yet announced about the role Kennedy might actually play in the administration, here’s what we know about RFK Jr.’s life, controversial views and public health commentary.

Who is RFK Jr.?

Kennedy, often referred to as “RFK”, is an American environmental lawyer and a member of the politically prominent Kennedy family. Born on January 17, 1954, he is a former US Senator of Robert F. Kennedy 11 children.

In 2023, Kennedy campaigned for president as a Democrat and independent before dropping out and endorsing Trump. He has been involved in many environmental safety efforts and human rights issues. He was arrested in 2001 and 2013 for protesting the Keystone XL pipeline and U.S. Navy bombing exercises on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, respectively.

He has also faced controversy for a number of conspiracy theories, including claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause autism, injury and death, claims that the 2004 US presidential election was rigged by the Republican Party, and more.

RFK Jr. Health Policy

With little information about the role Kennedy might play in the second Trump administration, any exact changes Kennedy might make to public health policy are still unknown. However, he made a lot of comments about his plans, including elimination of fluoridation from water systems across the country.

Kennedy called fluoride “industrial waste” in a recent X postclaiming the chemical is linked to “arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders and thyroid disease.”

Another recent post from Kennedy, who could provide insight into future plans, criticized the Federal Drug Administration, advising agents to “keep your records” and “pack your bags.” In the same post, he criticized the administration’s “aggressive crackdown” on:

psychedelic
peptide
Stem cells
Raw milk
Hyperbaric therapies
Chelating compounds
Ivermectin
Hydroxychloroquine
Vitamins
Clean food
Sun
Exercise
nutraceutical