Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears set to assume his position as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bringing his vision to reform the nation’s food system.
He will be addressing ultra-processed foods, food dyes, and additives that have become staples in the American diet. This push will likely force a reevaluation of food regulations.
Kennedy is worried about ultra-processed foods that are altered with added fats, sugars, and starches, according to Time.com. For example, items like frozen pizzas and sugary cereals. These foods have been linked to serious health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Kennedy also hopes to ban artificial food dyes, particularly Red No. 3, and additives already banned in other countries.
Kennedy claimed in a social media post that Americans are being “unknowingly poisoned,” reports BBC News. He argues seed oils like canola and sunflower oil cause inflammation and contribute to obesity. “Over 70 percent of adults and a third of children are overweight or obese,” Kennedy states.
In another controversial move, BBC News also disclosed that Kennedy proposed to remove fluoride from drinking water. This may face pushback due to fluoride’s proven benefits for dental health. Fluoride levels are also regulated by individual states, making it a complex change. In Pennsylvania, water systems that fluoridate do so under a permit.
The sweeping changes to food policy will undoubtedly have a major impact on the food industry, with farmers potentially raising concerns over the proposed bans on pesticides and genetically modified organisms. However, Kennedy remains certain in his approach, “I am not the enemy of food producers, I want to work with our farmers and food producers to remove burdensome regulation and unleash ingenuity.”
Robert Francis Kennedy Jr is the founder and former chairman of Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine advocacy group. On January 9, 2025, over 17,000 doctors, who are members of the Committee to Protect Health Care, signed an open letter urging the U.S. Senate to oppose Kennedy’s nomination, according to CBS News.
In 2012 Kennedy also falsely told Louisiana lawmakers that the coronavirus vaccine was the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” According to a 2022 study in the Journal of Pediatric Health, the coronavirus vaccines “prevented an estimated 14.4 million deaths” in a single year.
Kennedy has also linked school shootings with the use of antidepressants, according to The New York Times. A 2019 study in the journal Behavioral Science Law found that “most school shooters were not previously treated with psychotropic medications.”
Kennedy also has alleged that the fluoridation of municipal drinking water is harmful. Fluoride, the chemical found in toothpaste and regularly used by dentists, Kennedy said, “is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.” In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control named fluoridation of public drinking water as one of the top ten public health achievements of the 20th century.
On February 4th, 2025, the Senate Committee on Finance voted 14-13 to forward the nomination of Kennedy to a full Senate vote. A vote to confirm him likely will be happening next week.
