Summary
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statements and actions related to vaccines have been a lightning rod for controversy during his time at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A long-time skeptic of vaccine safety and efficacy, the Secretary is using his new position to overhaul federal vaccine policy in alignment with his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. For his part, Secretary Kennedy maintains that his vaccine and public health-related efforts are intended to “restore gold standard science” and promote public trust in government agencies.
In this Insights for Impact, we describe changes to vaccine policy under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership in the second Trump Administration and how states and organizations are adjusting. We highlight both the risks – including potential for coverage disruptions, fragmented state-federal guidance, and erosion of public confidence – and the opportunities to shape emerging frameworks, influence ACIP deliberations, and lead with clear, evidence-based communication.
If vaccine policy is important to you, Impact Health can help you track the issue, develop positions, think through strategy, and craft arguments to influence policymakers. Please reach out to us with any questions.