Topline

Former President Donald Trump has indicated he would appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—a noted vaccine skeptic, conspiracy theorist and former independent presidential candidate—to a key health role in his administration, which Kennedy has already signaled he would use to seek to remove fluoride from water, though the role and his plans remain vague.

Key Facts

What Can Kennedy Really Do About Vaccines?

Some public health experts doubt Kennedy would be able to change much about the way vaccines are approved and regulated, even if he were to head an agency like the Food and Drug Administration or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lawrence O. Gostin, a Georgetown University public health law expert, told the New York Times Trump would likely not be able to ban certain vaccines, even if he gives Kennedy a health post, stating Trump can’t unilaterally ban vaccines regulated by the FDA without a legal fight. Trump could, however, pressure the FDA to revoke approvals for vaccines and appoint court justices prone to limiting the power of federal agencies. American Public Health Association executive director Georges Benjamin told CNBC Kennedy could try to appoint people who share his vaccine views to FDA and CDC advisory panels, which make vaccine approval and use recommendations, but said states could ignore these recommendations. Some health experts voiced fears, though, that Kennedy would have a larger platform to spread vaccine misinformation and potentially discourage more Americans from getting vaccinated. Drew Altman, CEO of health policy research firm KFF, told CNBC many more people “will hear what [Kennedy] has to say, believe it and act on it,” potentially posing health risks. Some health experts fear cases of diseases like measles could continue to rise, as children’s vaccine rates have already been falling.

What Has Kennedy Said About Vaccines And Other Conspiracies?

Kennedy’s stances on vaccines, fluoride and other health issues have been slammed by health experts and organizations for having roots in conspiracy theories. He has repeatedly made false claims that vaccines cause autism and chaired the Children's Health Defense, an organization that says it wants to end childhood health crises but is a source of vaccine misinformation. He compared vaccine mandates to the Holocaust in 2022, which he apologized for, and was previously banned by YouTube and Instagram for spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. He also made other bizarre claims about Covid-19, including that it was “targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people” and “the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” Kennedy also made misleading claims that fluoride is associated with a variety of conditions, including IQ loss and bone diseases. Though some studies have indicated links between high levels of fluoride in drinking water and lower IQ in children and bone conditions, health experts say the amount of fluoride needed to cause these conditions is much higher than what is typically in drinking water.

Surprising Fact

Kennedy does not have any scientific or medical credentials. Prior to his political career, he was an environmental lawyer.

Key Background

Kennedy ran for president as an independent, launching his campaign in April 2023 and ending it in August, endorsing Trump. Throughout his campaign, Kennedy based a variety of his views on conspiracy theories—including bizarre claims that WiFi causes cancer, antidepressants can be linked to school shootings and chemicals found in water supply could cause children to become transgender. He has regularly derided fact-checks to these claims as censorship. He similarly blamed the end of his long-shot presidential bid on “systematic censorship and media control.” As a candidate, Kennedy saw sizable support for a third-party candidate: He had 8.7% support according to FiveThirtyEight’s average of polls gauging a matchup between Trump, President Joe Biden and Kennedy in July, just before Biden dropped out and weeks before Kennedy exited the race. After dropping out, Kennedy pitched voting Trump to his supporters as the way to get himself to Washington, D.C., citing Trump’s pledge to give him a health role.

Further Reading

Outbreaks of deadly illnesses could follow if anti-vaccine messages continue, doctors fear (NBC News)