WASHINGTON (AP) — In just two months as U.S. health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made big changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
He has laid off 10,000 public health workers, met with governors who want to limit unhealthy foods in federal programs, and given mixed messages on vaccines while measles outbreaks have spread and sickened hundreds. Last week, he also promised to find out some of the causes of rising U.S. autism rates within six months.
Kennedy’s supporters — including health-conscious parents, Republicans loyal to President Donald Trump, and others — are cheering his “Make America Healthy Again” push. But scientists and public health experts are worried about his comments on food, vaccines, measles, and autism.
Here’s a breakdown of what Kennedy has said — and what the facts show.
Autism
Kennedy, at a press conference: Autism rates were “1 in 10,000 when I was a kid” compared to 1 in 31 today, according to a recent CDC study. He calls this an “epidemic” and blames the environment.
The facts: It’s true autism was rarely diagnosed in the past. Back then, only severe cases were labeled. But over time, the term “autism” grew to include milder, related conditions — now called “autism spectrum disorders.” This led to a sharp rise in diagnosed cases.
Experts say the increase comes mainly from better screening and diagnosis. Autism doesn’t have a blood or lab test — doctors diagnose it by observing a child’s behavior.
Research has looked at many possible causes: genetics, parents’ age, mother’s weight, and environmental factors. But studies, including from the CDC, have ruled out vaccines as a cause.
Kennedy once supported anti-vaccine groups that claimed a link between autism and childhood vaccines, but the one study suggesting this was proven fraudulent and later withdrawn.
Recently, Kennedy launched a new study into autism. He first promised answers by September but has since scaled that back, saying he hopes for “some of the answers” by then.
Vaccines
Kennedy, in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity (March 11): He claimed vaccines “cause deaths every year” and “all the illnesses that measles itself causes.”
The facts: The measles vaccine is safe, and its risks are far lower than the risks from measles. According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, no deaths have been recorded in healthy people from the MMR vaccine.
The CDC says most people only get mild side effects, like a sore arm or slight fever. Serious problems are rare. Allergic reactions can happen, but they are uncommon.
Kennedy, in a CBS interview (April): He said measles will always be around because the vaccine “wanes very quickly.”
The facts: The MMR vaccine is 97% effective after two doses and usually protects people for life, the CDC says. Before vaccines, the U.S. saw 3–4 million cases a year. Now, cases are usually under 200 annually.
Measles mostly comes into the U.S. from abroad. That’s why high vaccination rates are needed to keep communities safe, especially for kids or people who can’t get the vaccine.
Measles
Kennedy, in a CBS interview (April 9): Talking about an 8-year-old girl in Texas who died, he said, “The thing that killed her was not measles, but a bacterial infection.”
The facts: Texas health officials said the girl — and another child who died — both died from measles complications. Neither child was vaccinated, and both were otherwise healthy.
Doctors said the 8-year-old died from “measles pulmonary failure.” Complications like pneumonia and brain swelling can kill 1–3 out of every 1,000 children who get measles, the CDC says.
Kennedy, in an X post (April 6): He claimed doctors in Texas cured 300 children with measles using budesonide (a steroid) and clarithromycin (an antibiotic).
The facts: Experts say there is no cure for measles. The body must fight the virus on its own. The best defense is vaccination.
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that using budesonide and clarithromycin for measles is “risky and unproven.”
As Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the Academy’s infectious disease committee, put it: “There are no miracle cures for measles.”
Nutrition and Obesity
Kennedy, at an April 15 event: Claimed 70% of Americans are overweight or obese, compared to 3% in the early 1960s.
The facts: Today, about 73% of Americans are overweight, and around 40% have obesity, according to the CDC. But in the early 1960s, the rate was closer to 13%, not 3%.
Experts say rising obesity is due to many factors: less physical activity, more processed foods, bigger portion sizes, and other lifestyle and environmental changes.
Kennedy, at an April 10 cabinet meeting: Said food dyes directly harm school performance, mental health, and physical health.
The facts: Research shows artificial food dyes can affect some children, especially with hyperactivity. But responses vary, and most children are not affected.
The FDA says most kids experience no harmful effects from food dyes, though some may be more sensitive.
Kennedy, in a March 28 speech in West Virginia: Claimed “20 years ago, there was no diabetes in China. Today 50% of the population is diabetic.”
The facts: Diabetes rates in China have increased, but not nearly that high. In 2001–2002, about 6% of people had diabetes. By 2024, that number was 12.4%, according to The Lancet.
