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NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Launch Updates
NASA's live online coverage of the launch of the agency's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is underway. NASA and SpaceX are targeting 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday for liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
When the Nation's Top Health Official Becomes the Outbreak's Biggest Obstacle
RFK Jr. cast doubt on confirmed measles-associated deaths during Pennsylvania's worst outbreak in decades.
She was told women couldn't be scientists. Now a NASA space telescope bears her name
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch on Sunday at 7:26 a.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA Holds Science Briefing Ahead of Roman Space Telescope Launch
NASA holds a pre-launch science briefing ahead of its Roman Space Telescope launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
RFK Jr. questions measles deaths in Pennsylvania
Click in for more news from The Hill{beacon} Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story RFK Jr. seizes on Shapiro’s measles statements Top Trump administration health officials are seiz…
West Melbourne sixth graders learn science behind NASA telescope mission
Brevard County students are studying NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope ahead of its Kennedy Space Center launch, connecting science lessons to space history.
Political feud between Gov. Shapiro and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. erupts into high-stakes battle over vaccine safety
Amid a worsening measles outbreak that has sickened hundreds throughout the state, Gov. Josh Shapiro stepped to the podium during a press conference in...
Trump set back on voting, Kennedy Center, Anthropic
The cases have widespread implications across the United States
Shapiro, Kennedy have war of words following 2 measles-related deaths in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Department of Health this week recorded its first two measles-associated deaths in 35 years, both in people who were unvaccinated. The agency declined to provide further details, saying it was protecting patient privacy.
Judge questions rapid timeline to return Trump's name to Kennedy Center
At a hearing Thursday, the judge asked why the center needed to begin inscribing the president's name on the institution's facade as soon as Sept. 8
Judge questions rapid timeline to return Trump's name to Kennedy Center
At a hearing Thursday, the judge asked why the center needed to begin inscribing the president's name on the institution's facade as soon as Sept. 8
Judge asks pointed questions of Kennedy Center’s plan to add Trump’s name
A federal judge on Thursday sharply questioned the Kennedy Center’s plans to add President Donald Trump’s name back to its building in coming weeks and expressed frustration that it could happen before he decides whether the move is legal.
RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation last year that a 2019 visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had ” nothing to do with vaccines.” New documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian refute that testimony.
RFK Jr. claimed Samoa trip unrelated to vaccines. New documents refute that
A letter to the Samoan prime minister raises questions about how truthful Kennedy was in testimony before Congress
AP report: RFK Jr. said a Samoa trip had nothing to do with vaccines. New documents refute that
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then a prominent anti-vaccine activist, preempted the 2019 visit with a letter to the Samoan prime minister requesting to study the Pacific island nation’s measles, mumps and rubella vaccines after the deaths of two children who had received them. In the letter, he used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times.
Without Trump’s name, Kennedy Center may need to be demolished, DOJ says
The Justice Department made the claim in a court filing in the saga over whether the president's name can be added to the cultural institution
Without Trump’s name, Kennedy Center may need to be demolished, DOJ says
The Justice Department made the claim in a court filing in the saga over whether the president's name can be added to the cultural institution
Acknowledgments
This report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals. Find related reports online at pewresearch.org/science. Primary research team Eileen Yam, Director, Science and Society ResearchGalen Stocking, Associate Director, Science and Society ResearchBrian Kennedy, Senior ResearcherGiancarlo Pasquini, Former Research AssociateEmma Kikuchi, Research Analyst Isabelle Pula, Former Research Assistant Editorial and […]
US lawmakers question Health Secretary Kennedy on vaccine settlement disclosures
A group of U.S. senators said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent explanation for how he disposed of a financial stake in litigation involving Merck's Gardasil vaccine conflicts with earlier answers he gave in written testimony and federal ethics filings, a letter reviewed by Reuters shows.
Trump and Kennedy's health industry deals haven't been enforced and are at risk of vanishing
NASA’s Roman Telescope Enclosed in SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Fairing
Teams have finished preparing NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope for launch. On Aug. 21, the team encapsulated the observatory inside the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket’s fairing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
HHS Secretary Kennedy touts 'Make America Healthy Again' victories of Trump administration
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the weekend touted some victories from the Trump administration regarding health and wellness.
Business Monday: Punalu‘u Bake Shop donates last of its sweet bread after Lala severe damages from Lala
Punuluʻu Bake Shop general manager Zachary Kennedy said it will take time to rebuild the badly damaged properties of the business, “we are 100% going to rebuild.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Rochester to announce new autism initiative
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made autism a priority in his agency, but he consistently spreads false information about the condition, including claims that Tylenol causes it. He visited Rochester Friday to share his near autism initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Why “Conservative Research” Is Confirmation Bias Disguised as Science
◆ Emerald Pages ◆ Science & Politics Why “Conservative Research” Is Confirmation Bias Disguised as Science Emerald Book Publication August 22, 2026 8 min read The White House's new initiative to fund "conservative research" bypasses peer review and works backward from political conclusions, violating the fundamental principles of the scientific method. Photo: Anna Moneymaker |
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, trailblazing GOP senator who broke barriers for women in Congress, dead at 94
Nancy Kassebaum Baker co-authored a landmark 1996 health insurance law with Ted Kennedy and won Kansas re-election by huge margins twice.
Kennedy Promised 'Radical Transparency' and 'Gold-Standard Science.' Trump's Vaccine Order Promotes Neither.
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18 Months of Action: President Trump, Secretary Kennedy Deliver Historic Reforms to Make America Healthy Again
In just 555 days, President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy have delivered sweeping changes across American health policy.
Pediatric neurologist Dr. John Gaitanis to lead NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Dr. Gaitanis is set to begin his role on August 23, 2026.
I'm a former surgeon general. Kennedy shouldn't give disease 'a break.'
Outbreaks are rising. Response capacity is reduced. And HHS Secretary RFK Jr. holds a unique authority – and responsibility – to act.
Taylor Swift’s ex and RFK Jr.’s son Conor Kennedy put on Russia’s international wanted list
Conor Kennedy, Taylor Swift’s ex and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s son, has been put on Russia’s international wanted list, accused of acting as a mercenary for the Ukrainian armed forces.
Kennedy Center won’t try to add Trump’s name before Sept. 8
The center said the delay would allow time for legal arguments
Kennedy Center tells court it won't try to restore Trump's name to the building before Sept. 8
In a status report filed late Tuesday, opponents of the move said members of the Kennedy Center's Trump-aligned board “seem intent” on defying an earlier court order requiring the president's name to be removed from the building.
Kentucky GOP donor Kelly Craft named fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics
Kelly Craft, a prominent figure in Kentucky politics, is fall resident fellow for the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School.
Trump to Nominate Heidi Overton, a Top Domestic Policy Aide, for F.D.A. Commissioner
Dr. Overton is a fierce opponent of abortion rights and a supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
August 20 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts-Entertainment Source: Activities
Aug. 20: Benicia Farmers Market, 4 p.m., Downtown Benicia at First Street. Aug. 20: August Summer Nights, 5 p.m., Downtown Vallejo, Georgia and Marin streets, Vallejo. Aug. 20: Mocktails and Vibrations, 5:30 p.m., John F. Kennedy…
National Symphony Orchestra will play at 6 DC-area venues next season as Kennedy Center shuts
The National Symphony Orchestra will split its 2026-27 season among six venues in Washington, D.C., and its suburbs. The change follows a reconstruction project at the Kennedy Center that was
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Schools 'discourage' students' physical activity, healthy eating
State and federal officials spoke with Newton YMCA leadership, staff and participating kids about the reinstated presidential fitness test.
Did Politics Almost Kill the OG Kennedy Love Story?
15 years ago, History Channel’s ‘The Kennedys’ earned 10 Emmy nominations, although it barely made it to air.
RFK Jr says community health centers should be the model for American healthcare
During a visit to Castle Family Health Services in Atwater, California, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised community health centers as a “template” for the nation’s health system, saying, “Forget about Obamacare.”
McVean Uses Her Sports Management Degree To Advantage
Augusta, Ga. - To say Kennedy McVean and Augusta University were made for each other may be an understatement. McVean grew up in Harlem, Ga, which just about a half-hour from AU. She said the Jaguars have always been part of her family. She grew up going to games and knew early on she wanted to be a cheerleader for Augusta. She also knew she wanted to be involved with sports her entire life. Then, the sports management program was added and the stars aligned for McVean.
Kennedy’s split-screen week: Talk of vaccines in D.C., fraud and addiction out West
The California trip shows how Kennedy likes to focus on key MAHA themes, while avoiding some divisive topics.
Outbreaks threaten HHS ‘real food’ agenda
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. wants America to “eat real food” as a solution to the chronic disease epidemic, but that message is being lost amid outbreaks of foodborne illness and a health…
Sen. Warren demands answers from RFK Jr. over 'calamitous' response to cyclosporiasis outbreak
Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking more information about the administration's "calamitous" response to cyclosporiasis.
Trump’s Kennedy Center and ballroom fixations are political malpractice for the GOP
Republicans are facing a potentially ugly 2026 midterm election in less than three months. And nobody seems to be able — or perhaps even cares to try — to prevail upon President Donald Trump to mitigate the damage.
Make policy based on science, not on RFK Jr. ’s lifestyle choices
Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a medical researcher, and his personal practices should not guide federal policies.
Kennedy in Bakersfield: States will get best science as Kern reports measles cases
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) As millions of Californians begin heading back to the classroom from summer vacation, President Trump has signed an executive or
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Atwater, announces $102M investment in health centers
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Atwater Thursday, highlighting new federal investments aimed at expanding access to prima
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Atwater to announce $102M investment in rural health care centers
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater to announce a $102 million investment alongside other members of the Trump administration.
Trump Loyalists Aim to Re-Append His Name on Kennedy Center
And the new name they came up with is somehow even worse than the first one was.
Trump’s Kennedy Center Board Votes to Put His Name Back on the Building
The proposed inscription tests Judge Christopher Cooper's ruling that only Congress can rename the national memorial.
Trump-allied Kennedy Center board votes to put his name back on building
A judge ruled in May that only Congress could change the name of the performing arts venue, and that Trump's name must be removed.
AP report: Kennedy Center board moves forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations
The Kennedy Center will move forward with a two-year closure of the sprawling performing arts venue to allow for substantial renovation work, while some outdoor programming may continue.
HHS Secretary Kennedy in Atwater to unveil new funding opportunities for health centers
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will visit Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater on Thursday.Secretary Kennedy
HHS Secretary Kennedy in Atwater to unveil new funding opportunities for health centers
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will visit Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater on Thursday.Secretary Kennedy
Trump’s handpicked Kennedy Center board votes a second time to close performing arts center for renovations
President Donald Trump’s handpicked John F. Kennedy Center board has voted a second time to close the performing arts institution for renovations, according to a person who was briefed on the decision.
In Good Health: Why Measles Numbers Are On The Rise
Nationwide, students, teachers, and parents are gearing up for the school year.And measles is spreading. The U.S. has already logged more cases this year than in all of 2025. It’s the highest count in 35 years. That’s in large part because measles vaccination rates have slipped below 95 percent – the threshold public health experts say is needed to stop community spread. Last week on CNN, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said children should be vaccinated for measles after being pressed on-camera, even as he used the same interview to push a debunked claim about respiratory syncytial virus. And on Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at upending the childhood vaccine schedule, including changes to the measles vaccine and others. But what will actually change at the doctor’s office?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Make policy based on science, not on RFK’s lifestyle choices
Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a medical researcher, and his personal practices should not guide federal policies.
Joint Statement by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio: United States to Serve as Secretariat of the Geneva Consensus Declaration
Joint statement from HHS Secretary Kennedy and Secretary of State Rubio on the Geneva Consensus Declaration.
MAHA Political Endorsements Shape August Republican Primaries
MAHA political endorsements target state Republican primary elections with medical freedom legislation. Analysis of Kennedy's health policy impact on 2026 races.
Trump order aims to cut number of diseases all children should be vaccinated against from 18 to 11
The order reaffirms the dramatic overhaul to the vaccine schedule that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced earlier this year. Those changes have been blocked in court.
HHS Secretary declares public health emergency for wildfires in Washington
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Aug. 7 declared a public health emergency for Washington state to address the impacts of ongoing wildfires.
NIH head quarrels with CBS host over loss in public trust on health issues
Jay Bhattacharya's interview ended up similar in tone to the one by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week on CNN.
RFK Jr. questions scientists, access to data at CDC campus one year after shooting
Some scientists in the room said Kennedy’s expressions of appreciation were difficult to hear after his previous criticisms of the CDC, as well as federal health department cuts last year that included hundreds of positions at the agency.
RFK Jr. questions scientists, access to data at CDC campus one year after shooting
Some scientists in the room said Kennedy’s expressions of appreciation were difficult to hear after his previous criticisms of the CDC, as well as federal health department cuts last year that included hundreds of positions at the agency.
White House drafting order on vaccines, autism despite pollsters’ warnings
The effort underscores President Donald Trump’s determination to elevate vaccine policy even as a federal judge has halted Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s sweeping vaccine overhaul.
HHS proposes cutting many federal education and health guidelines for Head Start
A year after withholding funding from the antipoverty preschool program, the agency run by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now says deregulation will allow the program to serve more children.
One year since Kennedy canceled mRNA vaccine projects, science shows how wrong he was
“The United States invented this platform and is the only country walking away from it,” Jeff Coller writes of mRNA vaccines.
US Stand Up for Science movement expands to Europe
A grassroots movement by scientists in the US pushing back against threats to academic freedom is setting up a Swiss outpost to take the movement global. Stand Up for Science started in February 2025 to protest against politically-motivated grant cancellations by the Trump administration. Since then, it has organised numerous rallies by scientists and turned into a broader campaigning organisation, supporting “pro-science” political candidates and attempting to impeach Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the health and human services secretary the group accuses of advancing “quack” science. Now, Stand Up for Science is establishing a Swiss office to take some of its campaigning beyond the US, and its leader is urging European academics to organise similar pro-science groups in case they face similar threats in Europe. There will likely be “spillover” to Europe from what the Trump administration is attempting in the US, said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, who last month returned from a tour of Europe. “Are we going to see a Trump-style scientific [. . .] take over in the same way?” she asked.Delawalla, who is doing a PhD in clinical psychology, said she was driven to help found the organisation after the Trump administration started cancelling health research grants in politically taboo topics, such as transgender people, diversity and HIV, in early 2025. Since then, the administration has introduced several other measures that infringe academic and institutional autonomy.It threatened to cut Harvard University’s federal funding unless the university accepted a “critical mass” of new faculty and students to create “viewpoint diversity.” And this year, it proposed explosive new rules that would allow political appointees at research funders to screen grants to make sure they “advance the president's policy priorities.”US scientists have been at times stunned by the volume of announcements, and the country’s researchers were relatively unprepared. “We sit in front of the fire hose every day,” said Delawalla. For this reason, European scientists need to prepare now for similar assaults. “If you've got a little bit of extra time to start thinking through, and making those preparations and building community and solidarity,” then European researchers will “start five steps ahead of where we were.” She plans to return to Paris in September to share experiences with concerned French academics. Is Le Pen the same?During her European tour, Delawalla said that French academics were beginning to worry about a National Rally (RN) victory in presidential elections next year. She said there were “chilling similarities” between Trump and Marine Le Pen, the RN’s likely candidate. However, so far, the RN hasn’t proposed anything nearly as radical as the Trump administration has carried out. Its current manifesto is all but silent on university and research policy. Le Pen’s 2022 manifesto bemoaned a lack of French R&D spending, including in fundamental research, and promised to modernise labs and strip away grant bureaucracy. The party’s 2024 European election manifesto explicitly supported the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, scientific exchange and joint European technology projects. However, a Le Pen victory next year could see France drastically cut its contribution to the EU, which would hit the budget for science and innovation. Meanwhile, more restrictive immigration policies could hit university recruitment of faculty and students. Climate science denial?As heatwaves and wildfires have ravaged France, the RN has sought to distance itself from previous comments casting doubt on climate science.In the UK, the radical-right party Reform UK, now second in the polls, denied climate research in a draft of its 2024 election manifesto, but its leader, Nigel Farage, then appeared to quietly U-turn and said he was “not arguing the science.” By contrast, Trump has repeatedly and explicitly denied climate change science, in 2025 calling it “the greatest con job.” Like the RN, Reform UK has been light on research and university policy. However, it did say in its 2024 manifesto that universities should suffer “heavy financial penalties” for allowing “political bias or cancel culture” on campus, building on laws brought in by a previous Conservative government. Ahead of September state elections in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany, the poll-leading Alternative for Germany has proposed abolishing gender studies and postcolonial studies, and promised money for “critical” climate research and studies of Islam. Starts with rhetoricEven if European radical right parties aren’t currently planning the draconian policy measures of the Trump administration, Delawalla said that academics should not be complacent, and fight even small funding restrictions or anti-science talk from the start. “It starts off with sowing distrust about institutions,” she said. “It starts off with these small things, and then all of a sudden it's there.” There are other, more established science and university advocacy groups in the US aside from Stand Up for Science. But the group stands out because of Delawalla’s refusal to attempt to appear politically bipartisan or conciliatory. “I firmly believe that the US is experiencing fascism,” she said. “We’re not trying to win over the super Maga people,” she said, “and we never have been.” The lesson of the US is that even if universities or other institutions capitulate to government demands, this doesn’t save them from cuts and restrictions. “It doesn’t matter what people do,” she said. Global “pseudoscience”Another aim of Stand Up for Science’s push into Europe is to better coordinate a campaign to protect people in poorer countries from what the group describes as “pseudoscientific exploitation,” trials outside the US used to build a case against things like vaccines. Earlier this year, the group sent an investigator to Guinea-Bissau to investigate a controversial, Danish-run Hepatitis B vaccine project funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The study would have withheld a proven vaccine from newborns, Stand Up for Science argued in a briefing it presented to Congress, risking their health. Significantly, the research group based in Guinea-Bissau, known as Bandim, focuses on the “non-specific effects” of vaccines: impacts on health beyond preventing the target disease. Related articlesEuropean researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationData corner: which fields of health science is the US curbing? The US ‘golden age’ science strategy: what Europeans need to know The suspicion is that the study was funded as part of an attempt to shop around for results that could help build a case against vaccines in the US, said Delawalla. “This is just code for vaccines cause autism,” she said.Bandim has put out a rebuttal of Stand Up for Science’s criticisms, arguing its work has uncovered a number of vaccine side effects, both positive and negative, which need to be taken into account in public health. However, Congressional Democrats took up the Stand Up for Science cause, and in February, Guinea-Bissau said it had permanently halted the study. WatchdogBut for Delawalla, this is not the end of the fight. Kennedy has made a number of health claims that scientists think lack evidence, such as the idea that seed oils cause inflammation, for example. Delawalla worries that more studies could be launched in poorer countries to fish around for evidence to support this agenda. Stand Up for Science is talking to African science organisations to create a kind of “watchdog” to scrutinise any further trials. “Outsourcing the investigation to some of the most vulnerable children in the world who are desperate [. . .] is fundamentally wrong,” she said.
HHS shutting down Kentucky organ procurement group over safety concerns
The federal government is moving to shut down the organization that manages organ donations in the Kentucky region, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced Wednesday, calling the organization a “bad apple.”
HHS Secretary Kennedy in Lexington to announce healthcare reform action
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is announcing a new health care reform action in Lexington.
Kennedy and Oz call Medicaid cuts ‘myths.’ It’s more complicated than that
Kennedy and Oz say Medicaid isn't being cut. But state Medicaid directors say new policies are likely to cause many people to lose coverage.
Secretary Kennedy Brings ‘Take Back Your Health Tour’ to Southwest Virginia to Highlight Rural Health and Recovery
HHS Secretary Kennedy traveled to southwest Virginia as part of his “Take Back Your Health” tour.
Fact Check Team: What has RFK Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement actually changed
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA movement has become.
Kennedy, Oz Contend Fraud Crackdown, Not Skyrocketing Prices, Led Millions To Leave Obamacare
Rising premiums forced many people in Affordable Care Act plans to give up their coverage. But the Trump administration claims a huge drop in enrollment is almost entirely due to its fraud crackdown.
RFK Jr. and CNN’s Dana Bash flare up on-air during vaccine argument: ‘You’re talking nonsense’
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took his controversial, widely contested views on vaccines to CNN on Sunday, sparking a heated debate with ‘State of the Union’ cohost Dana Bash that flared into an exchange of barbs.
RFK Jr. says Trump ‘certainly’ wants him to investigate any link between autism and vaccines
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday said President Trump “certainly” wants him to investigate perceived links between autism and vaccines. Kennedy …
RFK Jr. tells CNN host that constitutional rights take priority over public health
In a heated interview with Dana Bash, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attacked Anthony Fauci and the media.
RFK Jr., Bash clash in heated interview: ‘This is not productive’
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CNN’s Dana Bash clashed over vaccine safety and COVID-19 in a heated interview on Sunday. The tension in the “State of the Union”…
Does public health *need* MAHA?
Last week, our friend Dr. Craig Spencer sparked an ongoing volatile discussion with his Atlantic article “Public Health Needs MAHA.” Some have come out in strong dissent, others are cheering, and others are simply lamenting that we find ourselves in such a divided world to begin with. We will dare to dip our toes in these controversial waters, too. Does public health need MAHA? We think in some ways yes, and in other ways, no. MAHA leaders versus the everyday MAHA supporter The vitriol in this debate mostly comes from one collapsed distinction: the leadership of MAHA is not necessarily the same as the people who support it. Say “MAHA” and most people picture RFK Jr. Fair enough, as he coined the term and holds most of the power. And, yes, some MAHA followers treat Kennedy as something close to a saint. But talk to the grassroots, and it’s not a monolith. They’re Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. People who distrust vaccines and vaccine supporters. It’s a wide, eclectic coalition. The data backs this too: 4 in 10 Americans support the movement—that’s a lot of people! But according to polls, vaccines and medical choice (the issues most tied to Kennedy personally) are cited by only 4% as their reason for supporting the movement. For many, the motivations are much broader. Many MAHA supporters are signing up for the idea that “something needs to change” with health in this country. They’re asking good-faith questions about corporate influence on our health systems, health care costs, nutrition, chemicals, and clean air and water. These are all questions that plenty of public health professionals recognize as legitimate and also care about very deeply. Blurring the lines between the leadership and grassroots does real damage in two important ways: It hands the 4 in 10 exactly the narrative already fed—that the health ecosystem doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, and paints every critic with the same brush. It gives the actual bad actor more power. RFK Jr. has done irreparable damage and can’t be trusted. What the MAHA movement gets right A healthy population is something the public health field was literally built on, and many of these topics are things we have dedicated our lives to. Yet the MAHA movement has captivated nearly half the country in a way the public health establishment has failed to achieve. So that means MAHA is doing something right. Some of it may be timing (after a Covid-19 pandemic and deep frustration and mistrust with institutions). The movement also does three other things really well: 1. It gives a new, louder voice to system failures. While MAHA is not a monolith, one theme stays consistent across their stories: the system failed them. For some, it was the system that flooded their communities with opioids and then walked away. For others, it was the system that let their business collapse during Covid with no safety net in sight. For others still, it was the system that failed to help them manage a complex chronic illness, bouncing them from physician to physician without any real answers. And in many ways, our health ecosystems are failing Americans. Why are medical bills so incomprehensible? Why do some kids get a healthy school lunch and others don’t? Why do an epidemiologist and a MD/PhD student have to start newsletters in the middle of the biggest public health emergency in a century, just so people can get straight information? Because the systems failed. This deep-seated frustration driving many Americans to search for solutions elsewhere needs to be recognized. 2. MAHA has brilliant comms central to their efforts. MAHA figured out something most health institutions still have not: the information landscape changed. It’s participatory now, not top-down; influence runs through many nodes in a community, not one institution; and storytelling and telling audiences “what you really think” moves people more than data dumps do. MAHA goes where audiences are listening, using podcasts, social media, and memes in ways most health institutions would scoff at—but it works. 3. They are very good at organizing. A MAHA meeting feels like a rally: energy, speakers, music, and most importantly, an action for everyone. Someone’s writing the next policy brief, someone’s seeding a narrative, someone knows the next legislative deadline, someone’s sending the text messages for a campaign. None of this is new (ask the civil rights movement), but MAHA knows it works and has capitalized on it. What MAHA gets wrong This list could be much longer, and this newsletter has spent a lot of time covering it, but here are a few things: Poor use of scientific evidence. This is the fundamental problem with many MAHA policies: the hype outpaces the science, and experts are often villainized for pointing this out. MAHA leadership has traded real solutions for cheap wins. For example, instead of taking on the powerful food industry and passing real reforms, it has celebrated french fries made of beef tallow and taken out artificial dyes from still very sugary children’s cereal. These changes won’t move the needle on America’s diet. MAHA leadership has tried to dismantle vaccine access in the U.S. While many MAHA supporters emphasize other issues, the effort to change vaccine policy has become MAHA’s signature effort. This is not surprising given RFK Jr.’s extensive track record campaigning against vaccines. It has rallied behind the wrong leader. RFK Jr. has a decades-long track record of villifying doctors, scientists, and public health workers, well before he became HHS secretary. He is known for his decades-long work sowing distrust in vaccines as well as life-saving treatments like antiretroviral therapy for HIV. This is not a serious person who can move the needle on health in the U.S, and he has already done serious damage. Public health needs more than defense Defending the evidence is absolutely necessary so health in the U.S. doesn’t move further backward. The public health establishment is very good at defense. The problem is this defense often sounds like defending the status quo, which has failed many people. Public health needs to offer an alternative to RFK Jr.’s MAHA—one that is rooted in evidence, truly listens to and addresses people’s frustrations, and has innovative solutions and the courage to change the systems. How do we get there? Find common ground. Do you know what most people care most about? The abysmal cost of healthcare. Start there. Fight for the human loudly. Too often, communications and engagement center on science with a capital S, funding mechanisms, or the CDC/FDA/NIH. Not the person. So the public doesn’t see themselves in it. Instead, they see people fighting for the very powerful systems that they feel negatively impact their health and well-being. Let the public feel and hear that you see their frustrations, you get it, and you’re fighting for them within the system. Recognize when pro-science messages are alienating people. Facts absolutely matter, but angrily venting only alienates people further. Our friend Elisabeth Marnik recently wrote a New York Times article about her experience growing up unvaccinated and how listening and empathetic conversation are the only ways to reach people that really work (a position backed by communication science). Her comments section was full of hateful comments from pro-vaccine individuals attacking her for daring to suggest we approach vaccine-hesitant individuals with empathy. It is possible to both stand firm behind scientific evidence and empathize with people who don’t trust it. Lean into politics smartly. Often, public health has shied away from politics: Don’t touch it, lest you get burned. But this fails to recognize that the third rail is what fuels the train: who is elected determines our budgets, our priorities, and our authority. Being political means being very savvy in strategy on both sides of the aisle, knowing your audience, and recognizing that political capital is as scarce as financial resources and needs to be allocated accordingly. Bottom line So does public health need MAHA? That’s not really the right question. Public health has a responsibility not to dismiss 40% of the country who feel heard by this movement and are frustrated that the system has failed them. And it has a responsibility to stick to the evidence and recognize MAHA leadership for what it is: a danger to our nation’s health. Both can, and should, be done. Love, YLE and KP A big thanks to Craig Spencer, who had the courage to put his neck out there to start a much-needed discussion at such a critical moment—one that is determining the identity of an entire field. Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD is completing an emergency medicine residency and research fellowship focusing on health literacy and communication. In her free time, she writes the newsletters You Can Know Things debunking health myths and rumors and The Public Health Roundup. Views expressed belong to KP, not her employer. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
RFK Jr., who once bragged about having ‘freezer full’ of roadkill meat, now has ‘healthy’ cooking show
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a road-tripping new cooking show, ‘The Real Food Show,’ which aims to offer ‘budget-friendly recipes’ and ‘easy cooking techniques’ to Americans.
The Real Antidepressant Crisis
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says Americans overuse SSRIs. In fact, too many people who need depression treatment aren’t getting any.
Kennedy to host cooking show with focus on inexpensive meals
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a show geared towards teaching Americans how to cook healthy, inexpensive meals. “Thanks to President Trump, we flipped …
HHS Secretary Kennedy Secures Pledge from Insurers, Medical Societies, and Providers to Advance National Behavioral Health Quality and Best Practices
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. met with dozens of healthcare leaders who have pledged to strengthen the nation’s behavioral health system.
US lawmakers press Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine settlement
The letter notes that Merck earlier this year agreed to pay $50 million to settle litigation over Gardasil.
WATCH LIVE: HHS Secretary RFK Jr unveils behavioral health initiative with national leaders
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins healthcare and behavioral health experts as they pledge new efforts to strengthen the nation's mental health system and improve care for Americans.
US lawmakers press Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine settlement
A group of U.S. senators has asked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to disclose whether his family stands to profit from a recent legal settlement involving Merck's Gardasil vaccine, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters.
Philip Morris International opens massive Colorado campus as smoke-free business expands
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Both senators say the U.S. should not withdraw from the conflict, but they say President Donald Trump’s administration should give the public more information about why it is happening and what the objectives are.
FDA panel votes to loosen restrictions for controversial peptides
The vote marks a win for Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy who has said he's a big fan of the drugs, which haven't been well studied for human use.
A Peptide Showdown: F.D.A. Scientists May Clash With R.F.K.’s Agenda
Agency scientists are advising against allowing widespread use of several peptide injections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has said people should be free to experiment.
Singer Who Quit Kennedy Center Says He Feared ‘Retribution’
At a congressional hearing, the musician warned of a “partisan toxic environment.”
WATCH: Kennedy presses top military officials for 'straight talk' on fallout if U.S. leaves Iran now
RFK Jr. says cyclosporiasis outbreak is 'under control' amid at least 1,600 cases in 5 states
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told ABC News on Tuesday that the multi-state cyclosporiasis outbreak in the U.S. is "under control."
US Health Secretary Kennedy says CMS is pausing Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota
The Trump administration is pausing over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota "because of suspected fraud and noncompliance," U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said on Tuesday.
US Health Secretary Kennedy Says CMS Is Pausing Medicaid Payments to California and Minnesota
July 21 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is pausing over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota "because of suspected fraud and noncompliance," U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said on Tuesday. "If those states want that money they need to ...
Africa's top health official asks US to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions on Uganda
The head of Africa's top public health agency said he had written to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asking him to lift Ebola-related travel restrictions on Uganda since the country has reported no new infections in about a month.
Ryan Kennedy Inks With Fair Trade Services & One:eight Entertainment
Songwriter, worship leader and musician Ryan Kennedy has signed a record deal with Fair Trade [...]
Science can serve dark as well as light
I’m not sure how many of you are watching “Star City,” Apple TV’s spin-off of its “For All Mankind” program (2019-present), but it’s one of the better sci-fi series I’ve seen in a while, with an impressively dark political message. (Some light spoilers below.) For the uninitiated, “For All Mankind” presented a slightly tweaked history of the U.S. space program in which it was the USSR that landed on the Moon first in 1969, and shortly thereafter put a woman cosmonaut on the lunar surface. This sparks an ongoing space race that, in the original series, yields a lot of benefits for humanity. President Nixon’s insistence on a female astronaut corps to compete with the Soviets boosts the feminist movement of the 1970s and the ERA passes. New fuels generated for the space program create clean and cheap energy around Earth. There are also some darker changes — the USSR is thriving well into the 2000s, there are terrorist counter-technology movements around the globe, laborers on Mars work in nightmarish conditions and organize strikes and riots, etc. the @smotus report is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, please become a paid subscriber. Subscribe That show offers glimpses into the subtle ways this Earth is different. Teddy Kennedy never went to Chappaquidick because he was racing back to Washington to deal with the space program crisis; he gets elected President in 1972. John Lennon survives his early 1980s shooting but Pope John Paul II does not. The Apple Newton succeeded. Pretty much the whole of season 4 is a setup for an Al Gore joke. Again, mostly, the vision that “For All Mankind” presents is a positive one, with technology advancing many human interests. “Star City” goes in a very different direction. This spin-off show is about the same set of events but from the Soviet perspective. As we meet them, the team of scientists and cosmonauts responsible for the lunar landing are still basking in their hero status, but their program is embedded deep in the Soviet security state of the late 1960s. Everyone’s apartment is bugged. Whole teams of clerical staff spend their days transcribing recordings of people’s lives. People in the program, including respected cosmonauts, are regularly arrested. An incredibly menacing Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) forces confessions and tortures and kills, expressing little more than annoyance in the process. Meanwhile, the space program’s highly respected Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans) has a vision for the program that he knows the government will not approve. He insists that they need to think past the Moon to focus on colonizing the solar system, starting with Venus. (This is a rough parallel to the Americans’ pivot to Mars in the original show.) He essentially builds a secret space program within the space program, calculating that the government will embrace the mission after it has succeeded. (As an aside, I’m not sure why the Venus obsession, as a successful mission can’t produce the biggest public relations payoff: a cosmonaut standing on the surface holding the Soviet flag. Anyone standing on Venus would be immediately crushed by the 92-bar atmosphere and then cremated in the 900°F temperatures. But in a country with no free press perhaps the visual payoff was less valued.) But the overall vision is that the technological advances have only amplified the most fearsome aspects of the Soviet system. The state is paranoid (but not incorrect) about American spies and does monstrous things to protect its secrets. People are terrified to trust each other. Classic banality-of-evil figures order people to harm those they care about; those people comply rather than get shot. Others are forced into criminal behavior to protect loved ones. We’re reminded all the time these days of what happens when a government despises science. It manifests in the defunding of schools, the elevation of fossil fuels as the rest of the world pivots to solar, outbreaks of measles and diarrhea, etc. But “Star City” offers a vision of a bad government that likes science. It’s not encouraging. It’s not yet clear if there will be a season two of this show. But I strongly recommend season one. It’s both thoughtful and gripping. Share