MAHA: A fringe assault on science, or something else/also?

“Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA, is the campaign lead by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr., to make radical changes to America’s health care and public health systems. Together, the many actions taken in year one of Kennedy’s tenure have “dramatically reshaped U.S. health policy,” in the words of a recent headline at the centrist Associated Press. Many of RFK’s Jr.’s most seismic changes have been opposed by practically the entire U.S. medical and scientific communities. Others are popular with the public, lauded by many experts, and arguably make good public policy.
What changes?

There have been dozens (being tracked here), including:
· Major moves to reduce vaccinations among U.S. adults and children. A “dramatic overhaul” (Politico) of recommended childhood vax schedule. Eliminating the legal liability shield for vaccine manufacturers so they can be more easily sued out of existence. Gutting federal funding for the cutting-edge mRNA vaccine technology.
· Restoring the Food Pyramid - but inverting it to emphasize animal protein and full-fat dairy products.
· Phasing out synthetic food dyes.
· Declared a “war on added sugar” and on ultra-processed foods.
· Ended all monkey research programs (affects COVID vax R&D a lot).
· Major funding and staffing cuts at HHS. Fired CDC director and all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
· Expedited regulatory review for certain new drugs.
· Ended the designation of gun violence as a public health crisis and the recommendation that communities fluoridate drinking water.
· Reviewing safety of one of the two abortion drugs used safely for decades (but they also approved a generic version).

Some of these changes might be good ideas, or even long overdue. Others seem much more ideological than science based. Also, like his boss, Kennedy makes frequent controversial statements. About vaccines, autism, diet, fluoridated water, exercise, and much more.

We have years more of MAHA governance at the federal level, probably, and many states are adopting MAHA policies. So, it is high time CivCon took a look at the good, bad, and ugly of MAHA. No doubt all three of those adjectives apply – but how should MAHA be judged on the whole?

Optional Backgrounders –
Bigger picture: It’s not all RFK. Trump Administration has targeted health care and public health for large funding and job cuts.
o Anti-science attitude: Books have been written about this for years. Some people saw the MAHA reality coming, Recommended.
o Cuts/firings at HHS are very deep, 20%+, and focused on disease tracking capability and vaccine R&D. Long.

MAHA/RFK policies, summarized:
o All: Kaiser’s health thinktank up-to-date list/tracker of ALL HHS/MAGA inspired policy changes.
o For shorter, partial lists see here 9/25, and here 1/26. PBS points out MAHA in principle is broadly popular. Recommended.

Vaccines:
o Sum of actions. Recommended.
o Why does RFK hate them? Maybe a really nutty reason, or an even worse one. He may be a eugenicist – survival of the fittest, so diseases cull the weak.
o Med schools are having to train new doctors to deal with old diseases because vaccination rates are falling so much. Recommended.

Food Pyramid, fluoridation, etc.:
o The new pyramid will shape school lunches, military meals, hospital nutrition, SNAP policy, and public-health messaging for a generation.
o It is insane. Recommended. Some changes may make sense.
o Fluoridated water: RFK hates it, and MAHA govts are trying to reduce its use.
o See op cit tracker of all MAGA changes for many more,

In defense of MAHA:
o MAHA is popular in many states, not just deep red ones. Recommended.
o Kennedy declared “war on added sugar” and on ultra-processed foods. Many would agree (but can most Americans afford this diet?).
· Factual only - What is MAHA’s 2026 food agenda?