Just hours after the controversial Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), President Donald Trump announced the “Make America Healthy Again” commission to combat chronic diseases, NBC News reports.
Trump signed the commission’s executive order on Feb. 13, revealing it will consist of high-ranking federal officials such as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and the directors of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The commission aligns with some of the priorities Kennedy shared during his confirmation hearing, suggesting a pause on infectious disease research to shift to studying chronic disease origins despite research already establishing the two as being closely related.
“Americans of all ages are becoming sicker, beset by illnesses that our medical system is not addressing effectively. These trends harm us, our economy, and our security,” the order reads.
The newly confirmed secretary will chair the commission. Within its first 100 days, Fox News reports, it is expected to publish “an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis and include international comparisons.”
In 180 days, a new strategy on the findings is expected to be produced.
On the campaign trail, Trump and Kennedy heightened advocacy on youth autism, a condition that the White House says affects one in 36 children. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated autism was frequently being diagnosed in Black children over white kids in the U.S. Close to 3% of Black, Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander children have obtained an autism diagnosis in comparison to 2% of white kids.
After the findings, experts attributed the change to increased awareness, advocacy and screenings for Black families. University of Pennsylvania psychiatry professor Davis Mandell called it a “rush to catch up.”
While the Republican-controlled Senate voted 52–48 to confirm Kennedy, public health experts have openly expressed concern about the conspiracy theorist rising as a figure in the alternative health world.
Prior to being confirmed, Kennedy endorsed a number of debunked ideas. During the hearing, he
backtracked on anti-vaccination claims, stating he would support the CDC’s recommended vaccination schedule. But experts remain on high alert as Kennedy hasn’t done much to massage thoughts of promoting an anti-vaccine agenda with HHS.Outside of autism, the order also calls for a focus on the rising rates of cancer, obesity, diabetes, and asthma.