Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK)

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., once known for his environmental advocacy, has in recent years become a leading figure in the spread of dangerous medical misinformation—pushing debunked claims that vaccines cause autism, that SSRIs are responsible for school shootings, and that fluoride in drinking water is harmful, despite overwhelming scientific consensus to the contrary. His rhetoric has had deadly consequences: he played a key role in fueling anti-vaccine sentiment that contributed to the 2019 Samoan measles outbreak, which led to the deaths of over 80 people, many of them children. Estranged from much of the Kennedy family, who have publicly disavowed him, RFK Jr.'s personal life has been equally controversial—his ex-wife died by suicide, and he reportedly had her removed from the Kennedy family burial site. Once viewed as a principled voice, Kennedy has increasingly become a symbol of conspiracy-driven politics and pseudoscience.

Make America Healthy Again.

Newly appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is drawing criticism from medical experts over his controversial stance on psychiatric and weight-loss medications prescribed to children. As part of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, Kennedy now chairs the Make America Healthy Again commission, tasked with examining the use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, and obesity medications in minors.

The initiative aims to explore the prevalence and potential risks of these drugs, with the executive order describing them as a possible “threat” to adolescent health. Kennedy’s past comments and recent statements, however, have reignited debate over the safety and stigma surrounding mental health treatment in the U.S.

Kennedy pushed false information about antidepressants.

SSRIs are Harder to Quit than Heroin

Kennedy has been a vocal critic of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a common class of antidepressants. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he claimed that SSRIs are harder to quit than heroin—a comparison that mental health experts immediately refuted. “I know of no evidence because I don't think it exists,” said Dr. Joseph Saseen, a professor of clinical pharmacy and family medicine at the University of Colorado. “Those are extremely different diseases.”

Antidepressants Cause School Shootings

In a 2023 livestream conversation with Elon Musk, Kennedy also falsely suggested that there is “tremendous circumstantial evidence” linking antidepressant use to school shootings. Mental health professionals, including Dr. Asim Shah of Baylor College of Medicine, pushed back strongly against the claim, noting that fewer than 5% of individuals with mental illness are violent. “The biggest concern of violence in mental health is from untreated patients,” Shah said, emphasizing the importance of accessible care over fear-based messaging.

Kennedy proposed "wellness farms" for people suffering with ADHD.

In November 2024, Robert F. Kennedy’s proposal for "wellness farms" became a topic of controversy as some social media posts misrepresented his words. These farms, as Kennedy described in a July 2024 podcast, would be drug rehabilitation centers where individuals struggling with addiction—both to illegal and legal drugs, including psychiatric medications—could go voluntarily to receive treatment. The idea was to create a space where people could work, grow organic food, and undergo rehabilitation, with a focus on job training and rebuilding community ties. He emphasized that the program would be optional, with people free to choose whether they wanted to participate, particularly in getting off drugs like antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and Adderall.

Kennedy spread anti-vaccine misinformation in Samoa, leading to the deaths of 83 people.

On the Senate floor, Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) condemned the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, citing his role in a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. Schatz accused Kennedy of traveling to the island nation to spread anti-vaccine misinformation, which led to over 6,000 infections and the deaths of 83 people, most of them children. He likened Kennedy’s actions to unethical historical medical experiments, calling them both immoral and dangerous. Schatz warned that confirming Kennedy would place someone responsible for promoting vaccine fear in charge of national public health, with potentially deadly consequences.

Kennedy spread covid vaccine misinformation on Joe Rogan and claimed the virus was ethnically targeted.

Joe Rogan Interview

In a widely criticized appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeated several false and misleading claims about vaccines, raising alarm among public health experts. Kennedy inaccurately stated that vaccines cause massive brain inflammation in lab monkeys and that the hepatitis B vaccine increases autism rates in children by over 1,000-fold—claims not supported by the studies he cited. He also bizarrely claimed a 2002 vaccine study included infants fed mercury-laced tuna sandwiches, which is not mentioned anywhere in the study.

Racism in the COVID Vaccine

In a controversial interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed that COVID-19 was "ethnically targeted" to spare Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese people while disproportionately affecting white and Black populations. This racist and antisemitic conspiracy theory, widely debunked by global COVID data, was presented by Kennedy as a scientific hypothesis, despite overwhelming evidence showing that differences in COVID outcomes were driven by socioeconomic factors and occupational exposure—not genetics. His assertion echoes a dangerous history of using pseudoscience to justify racial divisions in health outcomes, fueling misinformation and potentially undermining public trust in pandemic response efforts.

Kennedy thinks that vaccines cause autism.

Autistic Database

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is assembling vast amounts of private medical data—including pharmacy records, genetic information, insurance claims, and data from smartwatches—to support Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new autism research initiative. This effort includes the creation of a national autism registry and will give selected external researchers access to sensitive, comprehensive health records from millions of Americans. While the NIH promises "state-of-the-art protections," the plan has drawn criticism for its blatant disregard for the privacy of autistic individuals, especially as Kennedy has previously described autism as a "preventable disease," a stigmatizing and scientifically unsupported claim. Privacy advocates and disability rights groups are alarmed by the centralized collection of such deeply personal data without clear consent from affected individuals, raising serious ethical concerns about surveillance, stigmatization, and misuse. This study was later rescinded after immense backlash.

Vaccines Cause Autism - Senate Hearing

During his Senate confirmation hearings for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continued to promote the false claim that vaccines cause autism, despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. When pressed, Kennedy refused to acknowledge that vaccines do not cause autism and instead cited a methodologically flawed study as supposed evidence of a link—one that experts say should never have passed peer review. FactCheck.org and scientific authorities emphasize that the research on this topic is not mixed: extensive, credible studies have repeatedly found no connection between vaccines and autism. Kennedy’s insistence on this debunked theory raises serious concerns about his fitness to lead the nation’s top public health agency.

Kennedy wants to remove fluoride in water.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to direct the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation, aligning with his long-standing claims that fluoride is a “dangerous neurotoxin.” Though Kennedy lacks the authority to ban fluoridation outright, he aims to influence public health policy by forming a task force to reassess fluoride’s safety and by collaborating with the EPA, which is currently reviewing new data on fluoride risks. This comes as Utah becomes the first state to ban fluoride in public water, a move Kennedy praised, despite strong opposition from dental and public health experts. Critics, including the American Dental Association, warn that Kennedy is promoting misinformation and ignoring decades of evidence showing fluoride’s role in preventing tooth decay, especially among low-income populations. Concerns have also been raised about the political motivations behind Kennedy’s actions, especially in light of recent federal budget cuts that eliminated the CDC’s Division of Oral Health, which had supported local fluoridation programs.

Kennedy believed that Vitamin A is an adequate treatment for measles.

Amid a growing measles outbreak in Texas, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made misleading claims about the treatment of the disease, suggesting that vitamin A, cod liver oil, and two medications — budesonide (a steroid) and clarithromycin (an antibiotic) — could effectively cure measles. His comments, made in interviews with Fox News, have been widely criticized by health experts.

Kennedy highlighted vitamin A as a potential treatment, noting that it can reduce mortality in vitamin A-deficient populations, particularly in low-income countries. However, in the U.S., where vitamin A deficiency is rare, the benefit of supplementation is unclear. Experts stress that vitamin A should be given only to those with a deficiency, and it should never be considered a substitute for vaccination.

Kennedy also endorsed cod liver oil, claiming it’s “highly effective” because it contains vitamin A. Experts quickly pointed out that to get the necessary dose of vitamin A for treating measles, a person would have to consume dangerous amounts of cod liver oil — something that is not recommended. "It’s misleading and potentially harmful," said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Additionally, Kennedy promoted budesonide and clarithromycin, but neither of these medications are approved or effective treatments for measles. Budesonide can suppress the immune system, which could worsen the condition, while clarithromycin is typically used to treat secondary bacterial infections, not viral diseases like measles.

Kennedy frequently questioned the established link between HIV and AIDS.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has frequently questioned the established link between HIV and AIDS, as well as the effectiveness of AZT, the first drug approved by the FDA to treat HIV/AIDS. While scientific consensus and organizations like the World Health Organization confirm that HIV can lead to AIDS if left untreated, Kennedy has suggested that other factors, intentionally obscured by the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies, may actually cause AIDS. In a 2023 interview, he claimed there are "much better candidates" than HIV for the cause of AIDS. His skepticism of HIV treatment, particularly AZT, led him to criticize Dr. Anthony Fauci, especially in his book The Real Anthony Fauci, where he accused Fauci of sabotaging effective treatments for AIDS. Kennedy also alleged that Fauci helped manipulate the approval of AZT, despite its initial controversial use. AZT is still used today, but no longer as a standalone treatment; it is now part of combination therapy for HIV management and prevention.

The Children's Health Defense, Kennedy's nonprofit, challenges vaccine mandates and public health policies.

Since 2020, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nonprofit, Children's Health Defense (CHD), has filed nearly 30 lawsuits, challenging vaccine mandates and public health policies. These legal actions have drawn attention to CHD's anti-vaccine agenda, even though many of their lawsuits have been unsuccessful in court. Despite the losses, these cases have helped CHD gain visibility and legitimacy, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccine mandates were a significant issue. CHD’s legal efforts are backed by donations and have contributed to a rise in its profile and revenue, even as some of its cases were dismissed.

5G Causes Cancer

According to the Children’s Health Defense Website - “Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) come from electrical devices, including personal computers, tablets, smartphones, gaming devices, electronics, cell phone towers, and Wifi. Many children are exposed to EMFs in their high tech classrooms as well as in most public places. The World Health Organization classified EMFs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” and research has shown EMF overexposure can include symptoms such as chronic headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, ringing in the ears, rashes/hives, and feeling stressed or “wired.” Other studies show the increase in electromagnetic fields present in the environment over the last decade is coterminous with the increase in autism rates.”

Vaccine Mandates

Since 2020, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nonprofit, Children's Health Defense (CHD), has filed nearly 30 lawsuits, challenging vaccine mandates and public health policies. These legal actions have drawn attention to CHD's anti-vaccine agenda, even though many of their lawsuits have been unsuccessful in court. Despite the losses, these cases have helped CHD gain visibility and legitimacy, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when vaccine mandates were a significant issue. CHD’s legal efforts are backed by donations and have contributed to a rise in its profile and revenue, even as some of its cases were dismissed.

Five siblings and a cousin have denounced RFK for his beliefs.

Five Siblings

Several members of the Kennedy family strongly criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for endorsing Donald Trump after suspending his independent presidential campaign, calling the move a "betrayal" of their family's core values. In a joint statement, five of Kennedy’s siblings — Kathleen, Courtney, Kerry, Chris, and Rory — expressed disappointment, saying his decision contradicts the legacy of their father and what the Kennedy family stands for.

Caroline Kennedy (RFK's cousin)

Caroline Kennedy publicly urged the U.S. Senate to reject her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, calling him a “predator” addicted to power. In a strongly worded letter and accompanying video, Caroline — daughter of President John F. Kennedy and a former U.S. ambassador — criticized RFK Jr.’s history of drug use, disturbing behavior in their youth, and controversial views on vaccines.

She accused him of exploiting vulnerable parents by promoting anti-vaccine rhetoric while profiting from lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers, specifically Merck’s HPV vaccine Gardasil. Despite discouraging others from vaccinating, she noted he vaccinated his own children. Caroline also expressed that her late father and uncles — including Senator Ted Kennedy — would be “disgusted” by RFK Jr.’s actions and nomination.

RFK had an affair while married to Mary Kennedy, who later killed herself. He then had her body removed from the family burial plot.

RFK's Affair + Mary Kennedy's Downward Spiral

In her upcoming book Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed, journalist Maureen Callahan examines the hidden traumas and scandals that have long shadowed America’s most iconic political family. One of the book’s most haunting stories is that of Mary Richardson Kennedy, the late wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. A talented architect and devoted mother of four, Mary married into the Kennedy dynasty in 1994. But by 2010, the couple had separated, and Mary’s life began to unravel. Isolated, emotionally distressed, and financially cut off by her estranged husband—who was already romantically linked to actress Cheryl Hines—Mary struggled under the weight of public scrutiny and private despair. Despite efforts to seek therapy and hold her family together, she became a pariah in a world she once helped uphold. Her therapist refused to label her as mentally ill, instead calling her angry and depressed, a reflection of her deteriorating circumstances and emotional abandonment.

Mary's Body Removed from Family Plot

Mary died by suicide in May 2012, a tragedy that exposed the extent of her suffering. Found in a barn on her property, she had tried to save herself even in her final moments. In the days following her death, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his sister Kerry publicly characterized Mary as a troubled alcoholic, further shaping the narrative around her downfall. Yet the most controversial move came a week after her funeral, when Bobby had Mary’s body secretly exhumed and relocated from the Kennedy family plot—without notifying her siblings and without proper legal approval. Her grave was left unmarked, alone and facing traffic, a stark metaphor for the isolation she endured in life. Callahan’s book, out July 2, offers a damning look at how the Kennedy legacy has, in some cases, come at the cost of the women closest to it.

Kennedy was publicly accused of sexual assault by a former babysitter.

Five Siblings

Eliza Cooney, a former babysitter for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., publicly accused him of sexual assault, saying she was motivated to come forward after seeing his Super Bowl campaign ad, which echoed a famous ad for his uncle, President John F. Kennedy. Cooney, who first spoke to Vanity Fair in 2023, alleged that in 1998, Kennedy groped her while she worked for him when she was 23 and he was 45

Caroline Kennedy (RFK's cousin)

Kennedy responded to the allegations on a podcast by acknowledging his troubled past but declined to address Cooney’s claims directly. He later sent her a text message expressing regret, stating he did not remember the incident but apologizing for any harm caused. Cooney criticized the apology as insincere. She expressed concern about the ongoing prevalence of sexual misconduct, saying it often feels like little progress has been made since the rise of the #MeToo movement.

Kennedy admitted that a doctor found a worm in his brain, and it caused "cognitive problems"

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly disclosed in 2012 that a parasitic worm had infected his brain, leading to memory loss and cognitive fog. This revelation came during a deposition uncovered by The New York Times. Kennedy did not specify the type of worm but suspected it might have been a pork tapeworm larva, commonly contracted through undercooked pork. Experts, including Dr. Peter Hotez, clarified that these larvae do not consume brain tissue but can cause inflammation and neurological symptoms. Kennedy reported full recovery without lasting effects and did not require treatment.

RFK bombared Bill Nye the Science Guy with endless anti-vax texts.

In a recent profile for Men’s Health, Bill Nye the Science Guy revealed that he once had to block Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after being inundated with "miles and miles" of anti-vaccine text messages. Nye described the texts as a relentless stream of conspiracy-laden articles and false claims about vaccines, including links between vaccines and autism, mercury, and other debunked theories. Although Nye tried to engage politely—telling RFK Jr. he was confusing causation with correlation—Kennedy continued spamming him until Nye cut off contact. Nye strongly criticized RFK Jr.'s judgment and suitability for leading the Department of Health and Human Services, especially in light of his decisions to remove the CDC’s entire vaccine advisory panel and advocate for dangerous policies like legalizing raw milk. Nye expressed deep concern about Kennedy’s influence on public health and the broader anti-science stance of the Trump administration, referencing recent measles outbreaks and the critical importance of vaccines in preventing diseases like polio.

RFK fired all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

On June 9, 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed all 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a key group that helps shape U.S. vaccine policy. Kennedy claimed the move was necessary to restore public trust and eliminate alleged industry influence, stating that new members would prioritize evidence-based medicine over "industry profit-taking."

The decision has been met with strong criticism from medical organizations like the American Medical Association and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, who argue it undermines transparency and is based on unfounded claims. Former ACIP leaders and public health experts warned that dismantling the committee risks damaging U.S. credibility in vaccine policy.

RFK bombared Bill Nye the Science Guy with endless anti-vax texts.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked alarm among scientists by suggesting that U.S. poultry farms allow bird flu to spread through flocks to identify birds with natural immunity, rather than culling infected animals. Though Kennedy lacks jurisdiction over farms, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has echoed support for limited testing of this idea. However, veterinary experts strongly condemn the proposal as dangerous, inhumane, and economically disastrous. They warn that allowing the H5N1 virus to spread would not only cause mass suffering and death among birds but also increase the risk of viral mutations, pose threats to farm workers, and potentially trigger international trade bans. Experts also say the biology doesn’t support Kennedy’s claims—commercial poultry lack the genetic diversity for meaningful immunity, and even wild birds are not fully resistant to the virus.

RFK said he doesn’t think people should take his own medical advice.

During a House Appropriations Committee hearing on the 2026 health budget, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that he doesn’t believe people should take medical advice from him, emphasizing that his personal views on vaccines are irrelevant. The exchange followed a question from Rep. Mark Pocan about whether he would vaccinate a child against measles, to which Kennedy responded, “probably,” before deferring to medical professionals for health guidance. Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer with a history of anti-vaccine advocacy through his group Children’s Health Defense, now leads the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees key public health agencies.