MAHA and RFK Jr.'s Health Agenda: What's Changed

Updated October 30, 2026

Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, is the health movement that gained national attention through Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 2024 presidential campaign. It blames ultra-processed food, chemical exposure and overmedication for rising chronic disease, and it is skeptical of the drug industry and federal health agencies. President Donald Trump picked Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in November 2024. As HHS secretary, Kennedy has pressed food companies to drop synthetic dyes, overhauled the CDC's vaccine advisers and leadership, and released the MAHA report on children's health. This page collects Upward News reporting on those moves, newest first.

Key moves so far

Food dyes and additives

Kennedy has argued that synthetic dyes cause tumors, intestinal injuries and mental health problems, and he has pushed companies to remove them voluntarily rather than wait for regulation. After he met food executives in March 2025 and warned of federal action, dozens of companies pledged to drop petroleum-based dyes, including 40 ice cream makers. States moved too: at least 30 have passed or are considering limits on food chemicals, West Virginia banned seven artificial dyes, and California banned ultraprocessed foods from school meals. Industry pushback started early: in November 2024, journalist Lee Fang reported that lobbyists for companies including PepsiCo and McDonald's were meeting to plan how to counter Kennedy's reforms.

Vaccines

In June 2025 Kennedy fired all members of ACIP, the panel that advises the CDC on vaccines, and by September the FDA had limited COVID-19 vaccine approval to high-risk groups. In late 2025 the CDC changed its website language on vaccines and autism and HHS began a new study of possible links. Kennedy says he is restoring "gold standard science," but senators from both parties pressed him on vaccine access, and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, accused HHS of "effectively" denying Americans the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fluoride, pesticides and chemicals

Kennedy has long opposed fluoride in drinking water, which he claims contributes to neurodevelopmental problems. In 2025 Utah became the first state to ban it from public water after lawmakers there passed a ban in March, Florida followed, and the FDA moved to remove ingestible fluoride prescriptions for children, citing studies that suggested possible links to thyroid disorders, weight gain and lower IQ. Pesticides have exposed a split inside the Trump coalition: MAHA activists petitioned against EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin after the agency reapproved the herbicide dicamba and eased PFAS limits, Trump's February 2026 order protecting glyphosate production angered MAHA supporters even as Kennedy defended it, and in April 2026 the House stripped pesticide liability protections from the farm bill.

Chronic disease and the MAHA report

The MAHA Commission, which Trump created in February 2025 and Kennedy chairs, released its first report in May 2025. It says 40 percent of American children have at least one chronic condition and that ultra-processed foods make up 70 percent of their calories, though the White House removed references to Monsanto and "forever chemicals" from the final version. The follow-up children's health strategy lists more than 120 initiatives, from restoring whole milk in schools to reviewing children's prescriptions for SSRIs and stimulants, and Kennedy has promised dietary guidelines that stop discouraging saturated fat. Kennedy and his allies have also called for independent research on the long-term effects of antidepressants, and in May 2026 he said HHS is studying how obesity, chemicals and pesticides may affect fertility.

Frequently asked questions

What is the MAHA movement?

MAHA, short for Make America Healthy Again, is a health movement that gained national attention through Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his 2024 running mate, Nicole Shanahan, taking its name from Trump's MAGA slogan. It focuses on chronic disease, processed food, chemicals in food and water, and the influence of drug and food companies on health policy. Supporters include figures such as Casey and Calley Means and Vani Hari, while critics tie the movement to vaccine skepticism.

What has RFK Jr. done as HHS secretary?

Kennedy has pressed food companies to drop synthetic dyes, fired the CDC's vaccine advisory committee, ordered an overhaul of the organ transplant system, and led the MAHA Commission's report and children's health strategy. He has also backed Trump's push to lower drug prices, and in October 2026 he was named co-chair of a new White House women's health task force. The timeline above lists each move with a link to our reporting.

What is the MAHA report?

The MAHA report is the first assessment from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, released in May 2025. It argues that ultra-processed food, environmental chemicals and overmedication are driving chronic disease in children, and says 40 percent of them have at least one chronic condition. A follow-up strategy with more than 120 initiatives came out in September 2025.

What is RFK Jr.'s position on vaccines?

Kennedy has long criticized vaccines and alleged links to autism, which is why his vaccine decisions draw close scrutiny. As secretary, he told senators he would not recommend a vaccine that lacked clinical data for its proposed use, and HHS has launched a new study of possible links between vaccines and autism. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, has accused HHS of "effectively" denying Americans the COVID-19 vaccine.

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