Robert Kennedy Jr chosen to Make America Healthy Again

Robert Kennedy says he’ll fight to end the US’s chronic disease epidemic, but his appointment as Health Secretary has major ramifications, from the future of the social safety net to food and drug regulation.

Donald Trump has nominated vaccine sceptic Robert Kennedy Jr as the nation’s top health official in another unconventional selection with major ramifications ranging from the future of the social safety net to food-and-drug regulation.

The appointment of Mr Kennedy – a leading critic of US health policy – to lead the nearly $2 trillion Department of Health and Human Services is being touted by the incoming Trump administration as a massive blow for Big Pharma.

Promoting his father’s announcement, Donald Trump Jr said: “You know who has lost, like, billions in market cap – pharmaceutical companies.”

“If you look at the stock prices of the major pharmaceutical companies, they are down a lot because they understand they’re not going to be able to poison our kids anymore.”

Mr Kennedy, who recently called for the removal of fluoride from public drinking water, would take over a massive portfolio with an annual budget of $1.7 trillion, 80,000 employees and 13 operating divisions.

The nomination may again test the friendship with Senate republicans and lead to a thorny confirmation process given many public health professionals have taken issue with Mr Kennedy’s criticism of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

Mr Trump unveiled a series of other selections on Thursday (Friday AEDT) including former congressman Doug Collins as Secretary for Veterans Affairs. Rounding out the rest of his legal team, Mr Trump unveiled Dean John Sauer as US Solicitor General, Todd Blanche as Deputy Attorney-General and Emil Bove as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney-General.

Both Mr Blanche and Mr Sauer have previously acted as criminal defence attorneys for Mr Trump.

Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, was also nominated as Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Unveiling Mr Kennedy as his choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Mr Trump said he would “Make America Great and Healthy Again!”

“For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health,” the President-elect said.

“The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.”

Responding to the decision, Mr Kennedy said there was a “generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”

“I look forward to working with the more than 80,000 employees at HHS to free the agencies from the smothering cloud of corporate capture so they can pursue their mission to make Americans once again the healthiest people on Earth,” he said. “Together we will clean up corruption, stop the revolving door between industry and government, and return our health agencies to their rich tradition of gold-standard, evidence-based science.”

Mr Kennedy has previously flagged his desire to pursue overhauls of key health agencies including the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health. In October, he declared the FDA’s “war on public health is about to end.”

“This includes its aggressive suppression of psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals and anything else that advances human health can can’t be patented by Pharma,” he said. “If you work for the FDA and are part of this corrupt system, I have two messages for you: 1. Preserve your records, and 2. Pack your bags.”

If confirmed, Mr Kennedy would take over responsibility for everything ranging from food-and-drug regulation to medical research to the Affordable Care Act and social safety programs including Medicare and Medicaid.

Mr Kennedy, a member of one of America’s most famous political families, ran as an independent candidate for president after dropping his Democratic primary bid in October last year.

Responding to the nomination, the Democratic Governor of Colorado Jared Polis posted on social media that he was “excited” and that Mr Kennedy had “helped us defeat vaccine mandates in Colorado in 2019 and will help make America healthy again by shaking up HHS and FDA.”

However, he hoped Mr Kennedy “leans into personal choice on vaccines rather than bans (which I think are terrible, just like mandates).”

“What I’m most optimistic about is taking on big pharma and the corporate ag oligopoly to improve our health.”