The Future of Health and Human Services

On November 14th, 2024, then President Elect Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former campaign rival, to be his next secretary of The Department of Health and Human Services. Now, in February 2025, RFK Jr has been seated in front of the senate members to convince them he is fit to be the next secretary of the HHS. Who exactly is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? What does his position mean for our future for the HHS?
Robert F Kennedy Jr. was born January 7th, 1954, in Washington, D.C. RFK Jr. studied at the University of Virginia, Harvard, and several other universities. At the age of 42, RFK Jr. was diagnosed with the rare disorder known as “spasmodic dysphonia,” this is why his voice is incredibly raspy today, 29 years after his diagnoses. In 2024, RFK Jr. ran opposing Donald J. Trump in the presidential election, opting to run for his own third party, the “We The People” party. Despite understanding that he would not win the presidential race, and despite publicly endorsing Donald Trump during his campaign, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that he would still be on the voting ballots in the election, racking up nearly 540,000 votes (0.4% of the popular vote).
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has claimed multiple times (before 2025) that he was anti-vaccine. In a 2020 interview on the subject, at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, RFK Jr. stated that he regretted getting his children vaccinated and that he would go back and change his decision if given the choice. One year later, RFK Jr. would appear on a podcast and urge the public to “resist” CDC guidelines on when kids should get vaccines.
“I see somebody on a hiking trail carrying a little baby and I say to him, better not get them vaccinated,” Kennedy said.
According to the CDC website, “Vaccines are very safe. The United States’ long-standing vaccine safety system ensures that vaccines are as safe as possible. Currently, the United States has the safest vaccine supply in its history. Millions of children safely receive vaccines each year.” This claim is backed by the vast majority of doctors in America and throughout the rest of the world as well:

• HealthyChildren.org: “Research continues to confirm that vaccines are safe and effective—and they protect children and teens from serious diseases.”
• Immunize.org: “Vaccines are remarkable scientific achievements that greatly reduce rates of death and disease around the world.”
  Even according to the Department of Health and Human Services website, as of the writing of this article, has stated that “Vaccines are some of the most studied medical interventions in the world. The United States has many requirements that make sure vaccines are safe, effective, and high quality. Among these are extensive testing before approval and rigorous safety monitoring after approval.”
  Another stance taken by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is to remove fluoride from the tap water. In 2024, on his campaign trail, RFK Jr. stood on the grounds that fluoride was “an industrial waste” that was linked to cancer, diseases, and other disorders. This, and other “chemicals in the water” arguments have stemmed from a fundamental misunderstanding of what fluoride is and what it does.
  Fluoride is found naturally in the environment in water and rocks, as well as in some foods. The mineral can also be a byproduct of some industry. Exposure to large amounts of fluoride over several years can result in skeletal fluorosis, a rare condition that can cause weaker bones and joint pain. Fluoride is also a particularly useful mineral in the scope of handling tooth decay, as it strengthens the outer protective layer that dissolves overtime from the acids created by bacteria, plaque, and sugars. Fluoride is a very useful mineral when it is consumed in the water that we drink. It also provides a useful decontaminant for bacteria in community water supplies without being harmful to the public.
  Unlike what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated in the past, the CDC and American Cancer Foundation has found no connection between fluoride and cancer. According to the CDC, there is also no found connection between fluoride and birth defects, another claim made by RFK Jr. in 2024.
  Fluoride has been protecting dental health in the public water supply since it was first added in the US in 1945. Fluoride is also a very common ingredient used in modern toothpaste. Although fluoride is already in the toothpaste we use, the American Dental Association says that fluoride in community water supplies is “the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.”
  Despite years of quotes regarding his stances on vaccines and fluoride, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services Department Secretary Appointee, has disputed his anti-vaccine characterization and said that he would not prevent Americans from getting inoculations.