What can RFK Jr. do to vaccinations in America

Calling for the end of vaccine mandates, the potential HHS secretary could undermine public health.

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President Donald Trump appointed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Nov. 14. If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy — who gained political prominence campaigning against the efficacy of vaccines — would oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Despite claiming to not stand against vaccines, Kennedy has spent the previous two decades voicing his opposition publicly, making him a controversial nominee. As the chair of the anti-vaccine organization Children’s Health Defense, he has made numerous unfounded claims — starting with a 2005 article alleging that a vaccine ingredient was linked to autism and declaring in 2023 that “no vaccine is safe and effective.” 

“In terms of what Kennedy is going to do, it’s hard for me to tell — until he does it,” said José Pagán, chair and professor of New York University's Department of Public Health Policy and Management. “Vaccines are safe and effective, many decades of research has shown they work and save lives.”

While a complete federal ban on vaccines is unlikely to occur due to the tremendous legal setbacks, according to Politifact, RFK Jr. can undermine public health in numerous other ways — including slowing the regulatory and licensing process of vaccines, limiting funding toward grants and discouraging parents from vaccinating their children, Dr. Paul Offit, an FDA adviser  and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told the New York Times.

George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told CNBC that Kennedy could appoint others who share anti-vaccine beliefs to the advisory boards of the FDA and CDC As a result, Kennedy can effectively remove the licensing of any vaccine deemed unsafe by the commission.  

Kennedy could also ask for less funding for various federal vaccine programs and grants if he gains support from Trump and the Office of Management and Budget, allowing him to influence the HHS budget, according to Politifact. 

One potential federal program that might see its funding reduced is the CDC’s immunization program, which provides vaccination access to millions of low-income Americans, according to the CDC.

“He's going to face a ton of questions about his views on vaccines from both Democrats and Republicans,” Atlantic staff writer Russell Berman said. “Kennedy would be the public spokesperson for the federal government on all things health related, and so if he himself is spreading misinformation, that can do a lot of damage, even if he doesn't change one regulation or one approval.” 

With the increase in misinformation and parents seeking exemptions at the school level, vaccination rates around the United States have plummeted, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study.

Kennedy’s anti-vaccine rhetoric aligns with the increasing amount of anti-vaccination legislation at the state level. After winning the primary in 2023, Louisiana Gov. Jeffrey Landrey signed five anti-vaccination laws and intends to sign two — framing a majority as anti-discriminatory practices against school mandates. 

Republican legislators in West Virginia plan on introducing vaccine exemptions for school children across the state, according to the Times West Virginian. Vaccine exemptions could be escalated at a federal level, Kennedy could implement several exemptions or threaten to withhold funding from universities that require vaccination mandates, according to Offit. 

“I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate,” Trump said at a March rally. 

Kennedy's work at undermining vaccines could have a larger platform and greater impact if he gets confirmed by the Senate, according to Berman. 

"It's going to be difficult because the federal government has a big megaphone. But trust in government has gone down, and people are more likely to trust their doctor, mayor, governor, or local officials,” Berman said. “While declining trust in government isn’t good, it may mitigate some fallout."