WASHINGTON – Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who’s appointed to advise the incoming Trump administration on its well being coverage agenda, has laid out sweeping plans to “make America wholesome once more.” However how he’ll obtain his broad agenda remains to be a query.
Kennedy's options vary from gutting components of the Meals and Drug Administration to working to eradicate fluoride from the water provide.
Whereas it's nonetheless unclear whether or not he’ll take a proper place in Donald Trump's cupboard or function an advisor, right here's a have a look at the viability of Kennedy's foremost concepts.
Vaccines
Kennedy has an extended historical past of vaccine skepticism and has repeatedly steered a hyperlink between childhood vaccination and autism, a declare that’s not supported by scientific research. In 2018, she based the Youngsters's Well being Protection Fund, a company that has been skeptical of childhood vaccinations.
Howard Lutnick, co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition group, stated on CNN the week earlier than the election that Kennedy is in search of federal information to point out the vaccines ought to be taken off the market. Kennedy appeared to melt that stance in an interview with NBC on Wednesday, saying he has by no means been in opposition to vaccines.
“If the vaccines work for somebody, I'm not going to take them away from them,” he stated. “Individuals ought to have a alternative, and that alternative ought to be primarily based on the very best data.”
Lawrence O. Gostin, a well being regulation and coverage skilled at Georgetown College, stated in an interview with CQ Roll Name that the president doesn’t have the facility to ban vaccines.
Beneath the Structure, states have the authority to make public well being selections, equivalent to vaccination necessities in faculties, which might be a serious barrier throughout the Trump administration, Gostin stated. He stated that if the FDA determined to take away a vaccine from the marketplace for political causes, even a conservative Supreme Courtroom would probably overturn the choice as a result of the FDA has clear authorized authority to evaluation the protection and effectiveness of vaccines.
As an alternative, Trump's foremost affect over vaccination coverage would probably come via company workers, Gostin stated. For instance, Trump may appoint individuals loyal to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and its advisory committee on immunization practices, a key panel within the CDC's course of for making immunization suggestions.
“There's lots of wiggle room that an administration has, that doesn't want the help of Congress, to vary the best way issues are organized, to vary the emphasis,” stated Jennifer Kates, senior vice chairman and director of the worldwide well being coverage program. and HIV. at KFF, he stated throughout a briefing with reporters on Friday.
Members of the CDC advisory committee on immunization practices are chosen by the secretary of Well being and Human Companies. The Trump White Home may have comparable affect over the FDA's vaccine advisory committee, Kates stated.
“That committee might be changed by totally different representatives on that committee and individuals who may need extra favorable opinions of, say, an RFK view on vaccine issues,” he stated.
FDA advisory committees make suggestions to the company about whether or not vaccines are protected and efficient. The HHS secretary legally has the ultimate determination, though in follow they traditionally don’t affect particular person approvals.
Trump and Kennedy would even have broad latitude to “cherry-pick” details about the vaccines, Gostin stated.
“It could actually dismantle belief in public well being businesses,” he stated.
Company restructuring
Kennedy's plans to eradicate or restructure components of federal well being businesses might be a considerable space of authority for the president, Gostin stated.
Throughout Wednesday's interview with NBC, Kennedy steered eliminating the company's vitamin departments, citing issues in regards to the excessive variety of elements in processed meals like Froot Loops cereal.
“In some classes there are complete departments, just like the FDA's vitamin departments, that should go, that aren’t doing their job. “They don’t seem to be defending our youngsters,” he stated. He didn’t supply particulars on whether or not he would restructure the departments, restructure them or eradicate them completely.
The FDA has spent almost two years restructuring its meals oversight operations, sparked by a 2022 toddler system scarcity that started after contamination points have been discovered at an Abbott vitamin plant in Sturgis, Michigan.
Beneath the brand new group, the company mixed features of the Middle for Meals Security and Utilized Vitamin with its Workplace of Meals Coverage and Response to type its new “Human Meals Program” led by a single human meals commissioner. The transfer was supposed to streamline communication and decision-making, points that have been recognized throughout the company's response to the toddler system scarcity.
However Kennedy may undo that. He hinted that he would hearth company officers who disagreed along with his imaginative and prescient, warning FDA staff in an Oct. 25 tweet to “pack their luggage.”
Gostin stated Trump may even have broad energy over the company's construction, whether or not by reducing funding or reorganizing components of the CDC, the Nationwide Institutes of Well being and the FDA. However he stated some company facilities, just like the FDA's Middle for Tobacco Merchandise, are outlined by Congress, wherein case the president couldn’t eradicate them with out working with Congress to vary the statute.
“One other barrier is the truth that we now have an incredible quantity of profession scientific professionals who’ve civil service safety, whistleblower safety, and they’d combat like hell,” Gostin stated.