In a tumultuous year, US health policy has been dramatically reshaped under RFK Jr.

a { color: #880000 !important; background: #ffeeee !important; } Latest News from NourishThe Nourish Mission (formerly OneSub)Get answers to today's big questionsHHS Reshapes Vaccine Policy in 2025health policy > public healthIn 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services, led by Kennedy, reversed longstanding vaccine positions, including no longer recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The department also replaced vaccine advisory committees with skeptics and directed the CDC to change its autism vaccine stance, amid broad restructuring and controversy.

What's happened

In 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services, led by Kennedy, reversed longstanding vaccine positions, including no longer recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The department also replaced vaccine advisory committees with skeptics and directed the CDC to change its autism vaccine stance, amid broad restructuring and controversy.

What's behind the headline?

The reshaping of HHS under Kennedy signals a significant departure from traditional public health science. The department's move to dismiss established vaccine recommendations and replace advisory committees with skeptics undermines decades of scientific consensus. This shift will likely weaken the US's public health infrastructure, impair vaccine confidence, and hinder responses to future health crises. The political motivations behind these changes suggest a strategic effort to challenge mainstream science, which could have long-term consequences for public trust and health outcomes. The broader restructuring, including staff cuts and agency consolidations, risks diminishing the department's capacity to lead effectively. This will likely result in a less coordinated and less evidence-based approach to health policy, with potential repercussions for disease control and health equity.

What the papers say

AP News reports that Kennedy's actions include reversing CDC vaccine recommendations and replacing advisory committees with skeptics, without new evidence. The Independent highlights the extensive restructuring, staff layoffs, and ideological shifts, noting concerns from public health experts about the long-term damage to scientific leadership. Both sources emphasize the controversy surrounding the department's departure from established science and the political motivations behind these changes, with AP News focusing on specific policy reversals and The Independent providing broader context on the department's transformation.

How we got here

Kennedy's leadership at HHS since February 2025 has involved extensive restructuring, including staff cuts and agency consolidations. His approach has included promoting discredited vaccine ideas and reversing previous scientific consensus, notably on COVID-19 vaccines and autism. These actions follow a broader political and ideological shift within the department, amid ongoing debates over public health policies and scientific integrity.