“This is the most radical step yet in RFK Jr.’s campaign to dismantle and discredit the U.S. public health system,” said Northe Saunders, Executive Director of SAFE Communities Coalition. “It’s a bitter irony: the man who has spent decades spreading distrust is now in charge of the very system he worked to sabotage.”

“Today’s report from the “Make America Healthy Again” Commission begins with a truth: the health of American children is in crisis. We agree that our healthcare system must do more to prevent chronic disease and support long-term health. But let’s be clear—vaccines are not the problem. They are the gold standard for protecting the health of all Americans.  

Instead of undermining our best experts or revisiting long-debunked conspiracy theories about vaccines and autism, federal and state leaders should be investing in real solutions—supporting research into the true causes of autism spectrum disorder, funding public health efforts, and making vaccines more accessible to every family. The public deserves leadership that prioritizes science, safety, and facts over fear-mongering and misinformation.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, despite widespread opposition from scientists, medical professionals, and public health advocates concerned about his long record of spreading vaccine misinformation. SAFE Communities Coalition remains committed to fighting back—mobilizing families, protecting science-based vaccine policy, and ensuring that public health decisions are guided by evidence, not ideology.