Overview:
Kennedy has been sworn in as the new Health and Human Services Secretary despite his controversial views on race and vaccines, and his lack of substantial qualifications. As the head of a massive federal agency with a $1.7 trillion budget, Kennedy will oversee U.S. medical research programs, approves prescription drugs, ensures food and drug safety, and administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs that provide health insurance for almost half of the nation's 360 million residents.
Kennedy now leads one of the nation’s largest cabinet-level departments, despite the “danger” of his views — including on race.
Despite his questionable views on public health — including a belief that immune systems can differ by race — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been sworn in as the nation’s new Health and Human Services Secretary. He now takes control of a massive federal agency with a $1.7 trillion budget tasked with protecting the nation’s health.
The Senate voted to confirm Kennedy Thursday on a narrow, party-line vote, with the Republican majority setting aside Democrats’ concerns about his vaccine skepticism and lack of substantial qualifications. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the only Republican who opposed Kennedy’s confirmation, said that, as a polio survivor, he is disturbed by the new secretary’s anti-vaccine views.
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A cabinet-level department, HHS oversees U.S. medical research programs, approves prescription drugs, ensures food and drug safety, and administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs that provide health insurance for almost half of the nation’s 360 million residents.
When President Donald Trump nominated Kennedy, physicians and other medical organizations opposed it. Now that he’s been confirmed, many health experts doubt Kennedy’s tenure as HHS secretary will be meaningful or beneficial. They question whether his vow to strip processed foods from Americans’ diets will outweigh his inexperience and harmful ideas.
The Danger Is Greater Than Any Benefit
“It is absolutely eclipsed by his other controversial views,” says Dr. Rob Davidson, an emergency physician in Michigan who is also the executive director of the Committee to Protect Health Care. “The danger of him is so much greater than any potential benefit of those views.”
The Committee’s petition calling on the Senate to reject Kennedy gathered more than 22,000 signatures from physicians who oppose his views on vaccines and bemoan his lack of medical expertise.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, Black Americans must remain vigilant, engaged, and proactive in securing their health and well-being.Sheila Phicil, Boston-based health equity expert
Sheila Phicil, a health equity expert based in Boston, says Trump’s choice of Kennedy – and Senate Republicans’ yes votes for him — signals “a fundamental shift in how the U.S. approaches health and well-being.” The former innovation director for Boston Medical Center’s Health Equity Accelerator, Phicil led initiatives to advance racial health equity, address social determinants of health, and create AI-driven healthcare solutions.
Unconventional and Unproven Views
The son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an environmental lawyer with no formal medical training or expertise. He has embraced several unconventional and unproven medical theories, however, including his belief that Black people can’t use the same vaccine schedules as whites because their immune systems react differently.
A former candidate for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, Kennedy says he wants to overhaul the nation’s diet by reducing the number of ultra-processed foods, part of his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. His plan, however, is very short on specifics.
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Kennedy takes the helm of an agency with thousands of employees — many of whom could lose their jobs under President Donald Trump’s plan to shrink the government. That includes dozens of Black employees targeted under Trump’s executive order dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and firing any federal employee with any connection to them.
Meanwhile, federal public health agencies like HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are still under a White House executive order preventing them from sharing news and other communications even while influenza and bird flu are raging.
Advocate for Your Health
Despite Kennedy’s confirmation and Trump’s crackdown on public health information, here are ways Black Americans can advocate for their own well-being as well as the health of their loved ones, now and in the future.
Phicil, the Boston health equity expert, says individuals should always know the level of healthcare coverage they have and the rights that come with it. Medicaid or Medicare recipients, she says, should make sure they understand their benefits and any policy changes made at the federal and state level.
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“Even if you have private insurance, remember that shifts in government programs often influence what private insurers do. So, stay informed to avoid surprises in your coverage,” Phicil says.
Be sure to secure personal health data by gathering and protecting medical records, track who has access to them, and be aware of how they are used. “The entire healthcare system relies on data, and that includes yours,” Phicil says. “Your data is powerful — know its value and maintain control over it.”
In addition, always listen to your body, ask healthcare providers direct questions and don’t hesitate to seek second opinions.
“As the healthcare landscape evolves, Black Americans must remain vigilant, engaged, and proactive in securing their health and well-being,” Phicil adds.