Overview

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., newly confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced a commission to review childhood vaccination schedules and other public health factors linked to chronic diseases.
• Despite assurances during his confirmation hearings to uphold CDC vaccine recommendations, Kennedy's commission raises concerns about potential policy changes in the future.
• On his second day in office, Kennedy ended HHS funding for NIH programs addressing the health impacts of climate change, citing a Trump executive order reversing prior climate initiatives.
• Public health agencies like NIH and CDC face ongoing disruptions, including budget cuts and staffing challenges, under Kennedy's leadership.
• Critics worry that Kennedy's history of anti-vaccine rhetoric and the rollback of climate health programs could undermine decades of public health progress.