Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is continuing to advance his “Make America Healthy Again” movement this coming week, reportedly meeting with top executives from major food brands.
Kennedy, as highlighted by The Daily Wire, has already impacted the food industry and made several vaccine-related moves as HHS secretary.
RFK is expected to meet with executives from General Mills, PepsiCo, and other big-name brands on Monday, according to a report from Politico. The meeting was apparently encouraged by the White House — President Donald Trump reportedly wants department heads to meet with leaders from the industries they oversee.
Kennedy has voiced concerns about seed oils, dyes, preservatives, and other ingredients often found in processed foods and sugary drinks. Reports suggest food companies will be on board with some related changes, though it’s expected there will be a lot of pushback over axing seed oils, since they are so inexpensive and versatile.
Additionally, there’s been a stronger push from state reps and the federal government to limit sugary and highly processed food and drink options for government food benefits, called SNAP. Specifically, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R), as well as lawmakers in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Texas, and Wyoming, are looking to restrict SNAP.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has also previously said she’s working with RFK to advance the MAHA movement, and specifically mentioned restricting SNAP. Though, according to The Wall Street Journal, President Trump is skeptical of restrictions or bans since they are typically unpopular with the public. And, notably, Trump himself is an avid lover of Diet Coke.
On vaccines, Kennedy has indicated that he’ll effectively be reviewing the childhood vaccination schedule. As the head of the “MAHA Commission,” Kennedy said he’ll investigate vaccines, as well as pesticides, food additives, microplastics, and antidepressants, to see if they have contributed to a rise of chronic illness.
The HHS secretary has also halted the CDC’s “Wild to Mild” campaign promoting the flu vaccine. Kennedy wants advertisements going forward to promote the idea of “informed consent” in vaccine decision-making, which would include giving people information about the adverse events associated with vaccines.
Additionally, citing conflicts of interest, RFK is preparing to remove several members of the external committee that advises the FDA and CDC on vaccine approvals and other key public health decisions. Recommendations from that committee, known as ACIP, are almost always followed by HHS and could impact the childhood vaccination schedule. Kennedy has postponed ACIP’s first panel to “accommodate public comment in advance of the meeting.”
Related: How The ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Commission Is Already Impacting The Food Industry
