Health
Who Makes Vaccine Policy Decisions in RFK Jr.’s Health Department?
For decades, as an activist, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. resisted the scientific consensus that vaccines are safe and necessary to prevent serious disease. Now at the helm of the nation’s health department, he has begun to put his extreme views into practice, ousting veteran scientists and installing allies across the nation’s health agencies to enact major shifts in vaccine policy.
Some of Mr. Kennedy’s hires are activists who have worked for years alongside him. Others are scientists who say they broadly support vaccines but publicly criticized Covid shots or mandates during the pandemic. Many of these scientists have begun to question the safety or value of other shots, reflecting the views of Mr. Kennedy. The following account is based on previous statements made by these officials and on interviews with current and former health agency leaders.
F.D.A. chief medical and scientific officer
Critical of Covid boosters and shots for healthy kids
F.D.A. commissioner
Skeptical of certain vaccines
Dr. Vinay Prasad
Dr. Marty Makary
The agency’s new vaccine lead and chief medical officer, Dr. Vinay Prasad, has called himself an “extreme pro-vaccine person,” and Dr. Marty Makary, the agency’s commissioner, said last week that “we believe in vaccines.”
But the two officials, who sharply criticized vaccine mandates as academic researchers during the pandemic, have expressed doubts about the safety and necessity of Covid boosters for healthy children and adults. This summer, Dr. Prasad overrode some agency scientists who favored widespread access to Covid shots, narrowing the vaccine’s eligibility to those 65 and older and to younger people with underlying medical conditions.
Last week, Dr. Makary echoed the views of Mr. Kennedy when he publicly questioned the longstanding recommendation to give the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. That shot is credited with nearly eliminating the transmission of the disease from mother to infant.
Dr. Prasad replaced a veteran at the agency, Dr. Peter Marks, who resigned in March and said that Mr. Kennedy’s aggressive stance on vaccines posed a danger to the public.
In June, Mr. Kennedy fired all 17 members of a powerful C.D.C. expert panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Insurance companies and government programs like Medicaid are required to cover the vaccinations that the panel recommends.
Mr. Kennedy handpicked eight new members that month, half of whom had expressed skepticism of vaccines at some point. (One has since stepped down.) Others have little expertise in immunology or vaccines.
On Monday, Mr. Kennedy appointed five more members, just days before the group meets to review recommendations for multiple vaccines. Some of the newly selected members have been critical of Covid vaccines or vaccine mandates.
Dr. Robert Malone is a controversial figure. He performed early experiments using mRNA in the 1980s but gained notoriety during the pandemic for claiming that Covid vaccines were unsafe, contradicting volumes of studies.
Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician, has been generally supportive of vaccines but opposed Covid vaccination for children and vaccine mandates. Vicky Pebsworth, a nurse with a doctorate in public health, serves on the board of the National Vaccine Information Center, a nonprofit that disseminates misinformation about the risks of vaccination.
Dr. Malone and Dr. Kulldorff have served as paid expert witnesses in legal cases against vaccine makers. Dr. Pebsworth claimed in a lawsuit that a survey of families of unvaccinated children supported a hypothesis that a rise in the number of recommended childhood vaccines explained an epidemic of chronic disease.
Another panel member, Retsef Levi, is a management and health analytics expert at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has been critical of a variety of vaccines and has called for Covid vaccines to be pulled from the market.
Dr. Evelyn Griffin, an obstetrician and gynecologist, questioned the safety and effectiveness of Covid vaccines in a hearing in the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2021. Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist, questioned the safety and effectiveness of Covid vaccines at a 2024 event led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia. Catherine M. Stein is an epidemiology professor who in 2022 called for an end to Covid vaccine mandates at universities.
Dr. Cody Meissner is a professor of pediatrics who opposed vaccine mandates and has questioned the ongoing need for Covid vaccines for children and pregnant women. He previously served on the advisory committee and is widely considered to be the most qualified member.
The others are not known to have spoken out against vaccines. They are Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln, a nutritional neuroscientist; Dr. James Pagano, an emergency medicine physician; Hillary Blackburn, a pharmacist; and Dr. Raymond Pollak, a surgeon and transplant specialist.
The C.D.C. director has the power to accept or reject the immunization committee’s recommendations. The current acting director is Mr. Kennedy’s deputy at the Department of Health and Human Services, Jim O’Neill, a former biotechnology executive. The previous director, Susan Monarez, said she was forced out because she would not agree to accept the newly re-formed committee’s recommendations.
A special adviser to the C.D.C. director, Stuart Burns, is a critical player driving the health secretary’s agenda at the agency. Mr. Burns has been quietly working to remake the immunization committee and its agenda.
Mr. Burns is not a scientist but he worked for decades as a staff member for Republican congressmen known for their vaccine skepticism. One is Dr. Dave Weldon, a former representative from Florida who was also Mr. Kennedy’s original choice for C.D.C. director. The White House withdrew Dr. Weldon’s nomination just hours before his confirmation hearing because some Senate Republicans were concerned about his stance on vaccines.
Mr. Burns works closely with three other Kennedy hires who serve H.H.S. but also work closely with the C.D.C. Dr. Reyn Archer is a former Texas health commissioner who has questioned the safety and value of the Covid vaccine on social media. He serves as a liaison between the health secretary’s office and the C.D.C., and has been helping Mr. Burns to develop and guide the immunization committee.
David Geier is a steadfast figure in the anti-vaccine movement who has spent more than 20 years trying to establish a link between vaccines and autism, despite scientific consensus that there is none. Mr. Geier, who is listed as a senior data analyst in the H.H.S. directory, was given access to federal data on post-vaccination side effects and is using it to continue his studies on autism.
Lyn Redwood is a nurse practitioner and the former head of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Mr. Kennedy. Since the early 2000s, Ms. Redwood has criticized the use of mercury as a preservative in vaccines. She has said she believes the ingredient is linked to her son’s autism.
Now listed as an expert at H.H.S., Ms. Redwood gave a presentation in June to the immunization committee, a role usually reserved for C.D.C. scientists. She said that the mercury preservative in vaccines, known as thimerosal, was toxic to children, even though dozens of studies have shown it is harmless in this form. The panel later voted to stop recommending the already limited number of flu vaccines that contained the preservative.
Principal deputy director of the N.I.H.
Skeptical of certain vaccines
N.I.H. director
Critical of Covid vaccine mandates
Dr. Matthew Memoli
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya
Dr. Matthew Memoli is a veteran infectious disease scientist at the National Institutes of Health who now serves as its principal deputy director. As a senior researcher under Dr. Anthony Fauci during the pandemic, Dr. Memoli opposed Covid vaccine mandates and declined to get a shot himself.
Since becoming a leader of the research agency, Dr. Memoli has downplayed the value of vaccines for certain respiratory diseases, according to the whistle-blower complaints of two prominent scientists.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the N.I.H director, sharply criticized vaccine mandates as an academic researcher during the pandemic. He co-wrote an anti-lockdown treatise in 2020 with Dr. Kulldorff, one of Mr. Kennedy’s selections for the C.D.C. immunization committee.
During his confirmation hearing in March, Dr. Bhattacharya reiterated his support for childhood vaccinations for diseases like measles. He also said he was “convinced” vaccines did not cause autism, even as he urged more research on the question, which scientists say has long been settled.
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The latest beverage trend is far from clean – and it’s raising red flags with doctors.
Known as a “dirty soda,” it’s a soft drink that also includes a combination of added ingredients, such as flavored syrups, creamers, fruit juices and other garnishes. The result is a sweet beverage that’s a combination of a soda, mocktail and dessert.
Dirty sodas can easily deliver 250-400 calories and 55-70 grams of sugar in a single drink – which is often more than double the American Heart Association’s daily added sugar limit, according to Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian.
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“It’s more like a dessert beverage than a soft drink, even if people use diet soda as the base,” she told Fox News Digital.
The drinks are most dangerous for those with insulin resistance, prediabetes or diabetes, Palinski-Wade warned.
A dirty soda is a soft drink that also includes a combination of added ingredients, such as flavored syrups, creamers, fruit juices and other garnishes. (iStock)
“The combination of rapidly absorbed sugar plus cream can cause sharp blood sugar spikes and crashes, driving hunger, fatigue and higher insulin demands,” she cautioned.
The trend is said to have originated in Utah years ago at a specialty soda shop, Swig, reportedly due to people in the Mormon faith seeking an alternative to coffee. The drink was then popularized by social media and TV shows, such as “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” according to Eater.com.
The dirty soda trend is widely credited to Swig, a Utah-based soda shop founded in 2010. The concept reportedly gained popularity in Utah, where many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abstain from coffee and alcohol, helping create demand for customizable, non-alcoholic drinks.
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“There are multiple soda shops in most suburbs here,” one Utah resident wrote on Reddit. “I have many coworkers who stop at one daily on their way to work [because] they don’t drink coffee, but will drink dirty sodas.”
Trend goes mainstream
Dirty sodas have recently grown in popularity, appearing on many restaurant menus and grocery store shelves. Coca-Cola has launched its Coca-Cola Cherry Float, which is designed to mimic the soda-and-cream experience, while PepsiCo offers a Dirty Mountain Dew Cream Soda.
McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Sonic and Dunkin are among the fast-food brands that include dirty soda options in their beverage line-ups.
Crumbl recently launched a dirty soda that includes multiple sweet ingredients on top of an already sugary soda base. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Perhaps taking the cake is Crumbl, which recently launched a dirty soda that includes multiple sweet ingredients on top of an already sugary soda base.
“Crumbl needs to be stopped,” Dr. Mark Hyman wrote in a recent social media post. “Their new ‘dirty soda’ contains 186 grams of sugar, the equivalent of eating 19 Krispy Kreme donuts. This is a metabolic disaster and should be illegal.”
Experts warn of health risks
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, echoed the warnings about dirty sodas being “very unhealthy.”
“They are loaded with processed sugar, empty calories and saturated fats,” he told Fox News Digital. “They are also highly addictive, especially because of the high sugar content, and are about 400 calories per serving.”
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Over time, regular consumption of these types of sugary beverages can train the brain to seek repeated dopamine and endorphin releases, Siegel warned. This can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, dementia and other chronic illnesses.
An employee prepares a dirty soda at Floso, a drink shop in Salem, Oregon, in July 2024. (Abigail Dollins/Statesman Journal)
Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, echoed that daily added sugars increase the risk of obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
“Additionally, the creamy mix-ins featured in dirty sodas are generally high in saturated fat, another nutrient that should be consumed in limited amounts,” Freirich told Fox News Digital.
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“If you’re looking for a mocktail or fun non-alcoholic beverage, consider using a base of plain seltzer water for a bubbly drink,” she recommended. “Even with the same add-ins, your end result will contain considerably less sugar, but still taste sweet.”
An orange dirty soda is displayed at the Ross County Fair in Ross County, Ohio. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency physician in Charleston, South Carolina, also noted that dirty sodas represent a continuation of the trend toward highly sugary beverages.
“Their effects are short-lived, prompting individuals to consume excessive amounts,” he warned. “This combination of low nutritional value, high sugar content and poor satiety can have significant health implications.”
Each additional highly sugary beverage consumed daily increases the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, Perry cautioned.
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The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugars – such as those found in beverages with added sugar – to less than 10% of total daily energy consumption, the doctor noted.
“Beverages with added sugar are one of the most easily modifiable risk factors for various downstream health issues,” Perry added.
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For those who do decide to try the dirty soda trend, Palinski-Wade recommends choosing a small size, using a diet soda base and limiting it to a rare treat.
“It really belongs in the same category as a cake or a milkshake – occasionally, and in smaller portions.”
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Americans born after 1970 are dying faster than their parents did, data shows.
New analysis from Tufts University reveals that Gen Xers and millennials are failing to outlive their predecessors, dying at higher rates from common chronic illnesses and external causes than previous generations did when they were the same age.
Data shows that U.S. life expectancy has steadily improved for most of the 20th century, meaning each generation generally lived longer than the one before it.
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However, that changed starting with individuals born in the 1950s. While Americans born in the 1940s experienced steadily improving survival rates at every stage of life, those born in the 1950s saw that progress slow or reverse.
The downward trend has continued with each subsequent generation, with the biggest change seen in Americans born after 1970.
While Americans born in the 1940s experienced steadily improving survival rates at every stage of life, those born in the 1950s saw that progress slow or reverse. (iStock)
The research, which tracks 45 years of American mortality data from 1979 to 2019, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, according to a Tufts press release.
Between the ages of 30 and 49, Americans born after 1970 experience higher death rates from heart disease, cancer and external causes (such as drug overdoses, suicide, homicides and traffic accidents) compared to older generations when they were in that same age bracket.
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Why are younger generations dying sooner?
Because the study focused on mapping patterns rather than conducting clinical trials, researchers say it can’t point to a single definitive cause for the decline.
However, the study points out two distinct issues affecting American life expectancy. The first is generational decline, meaning that newer generations are entering middle age while carrying higher risk factors than their predecessors.
Part of the decline is marked by a slowdown of decades-long progress against cardiovascular disease. (iStock)
Additionally, a separate, nationwide setback began around 2010, negatively impacting almost every living adult simultaneously, regardless of their birth year. Researchers say this period was marked by a slowdown of decades-long progress against cardiovascular disease.
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U.S. life expectancy improved by just 0.26 years between 2010 and 2019. In comparison, the country gained an average of 1.78 years of life expectancy per decade over the previous 50 years, according to the analysis.
This has caused the U.S. to fall further behind on a global scale. The life expectancy gap between the U.S. and the top-performing nation grew from 2.6 years in 1983 to 4.7 years by 2009.
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Shifting health risks
Earlier generations were heavily impacted by cigarette smoking. In contrast, younger generations face rising obesity rates and related conditions, such as colon cancer, data shows.
Because Americans born after 1970 are still in the middle stages of life, the full impact of these elevated mortality rates has not yet fully registered in overall national life expectancy figures. (iStock)
The researchers noted that the rise of the opioid epidemic also significantly accelerated overdose deaths for post-1970 generations starting in the late 1990s.
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The team cited widening economic inequality, social instability and chronic stress as larger issues that could be driving multiple causes of death at the same time.
Because Americans born after 1970 are still in the middle stages of life, the full impact of these elevated mortality rates has not yet fully registered in overall national life expectancy figures, they noted.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to analyze newly released 2024 mortality data to understand how the pandemic may have affected U.S. mortality trends. (iStock)
“Although this study does not provide direct evidence, we can speculate about some interventions to explore,” lead study author Leah Abrams, an assistant professor of community health at Tufts University, said in the press release.
“To reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease, we may want to address risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Addressing colon cancer mortality among younger individuals may involve related factors and benefit from improving diet.”
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Looking ahead, the researchers plan to analyze newly released 2024 mortality data to understand how the pandemic may have affected U.S. mortality trends.
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently updated its medical marijuana guidelines, adding specific instructions to its “What Can I Bring?” directory for both carry-on and checked bags.
Patients who use cannabis to manage chronic pain, anxiety, nausea or other qualifying conditions may travel with their medication for use at their destination.
When taking medical marijuana on a flight, experts suggest separating the travel process from the treatment and waiting until arriving at the destination before using the substance.
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“For most patients, the goal isn’t to use cannabis on the plane. It’s making sure they have access to their medicine when they arrive,” Professor Rob Mejia of the Stockton University Cannabis Studies Department, who is also author of “The Essential Cannabis Book,” told Fox News Digital.
Patients who use cannabis to manage chronic pain, anxiety, nausea or other qualifying conditions may travel with their medication for use at their destination. (iStock)
Using cannabis on aircraft is generally not recommended. Airlines strictly prohibit smoking and vaping, and even edible products can behave unpredictably.
While some experienced consumers may use a low-dose edible before a flight to manage flight anxiety or promote sleep, Mejia said the key factor is familiarity.
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“An airport or airplane is not the place to test a new product or take a dose you are not accustomed to,” he advised. “What feels relaxing to an experienced consumer can easily feel overwhelming to someone with less experience.”
According to clinical data published by the American College of Cardiology, cannabis use significantly alters heart rhythm regulation and heightens the heart muscle’s overall oxygen demand.
“An airport or airplane is not the place to test a new product or take a dose you are not accustomed to.”
When this elevated cardiac strain combines with the nervous system’s natural response to altitude — which, according to University of Florida research, already forces the heart to beat faster to distribute lower levels of oxygen — it can trigger acute cardiovascular distress.
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Rather than relieving travel anxiety, using unpredictable or high-potency doses at high altitudes can worsen symptoms like severe nausea, dizziness and hyperventilation, research shows.
Previous data shows cannabis can alter heart rhythm and oxygen demand, which may not be ideal with cabin altitude. (iStock)
“The overall goal should be continuity of care during travel, not medicating at 35,000 feet,” Mejia said.
For a growing number of patients, cannabis is no longer just an alternative therapy, but functions as a primary form of medicine. In these cases, before traveling with the substance, preparation is everything, experts say.
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“The safest cannabis travel plan is understanding the laws before you pack,” Mejia advised, warning travelers not to misinterpret the updated language.
Using unpredictable or high-potency doses at high altitudes can backfire, leading to severe nausea, dizziness and hyperventilation rather than relieving travel anxiety, experts caution. (iStock)
“A TSA checkpoint is not a legal shield from state or local enforcement,” the expert noted. “The TSA checks for security threats, not cannabis. That doesn’t mean cannabis can’t become your problem.”
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“If your cannabis looks legitimate, labeled and professionally packaged, you’re less likely to raise questions.”
“If your cannabis looks legitimate, labeled and professionally packaged, you’re less likely to raise questions than if you’re carrying a bag of mystery gummies and a handful of loose flower,” Mejia added.
“The TSA checks for security threats, not cannabis. That doesn’t mean cannabis can’t become your problem.” (iStock)
If an item raises eyebrows, the agent has the authority to refer the matter to law enforcement.
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While domestic travel has entered a gray area, international travel remains a different set of rules altogether. Crossing international borders with cannabis carries severe risks, regardless of the laws of the country you are visiting, experts say.
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“If you’re traveling internationally, leave your cannabis at home,” Mejia advised. “Even in countries that have legalized cannabis, the rules for visitors can be very different from the rules for residents.”
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