On February 13, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission, a sweeping initiative aimed at reversing the nation’s escalating health crisis. Chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the commission is tasked with identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic diseases, with a particular focus on childhood health issues.
With six in ten American adults suffering from at least one chronic illness and childhood health conditions on the rise, the White House is shifting its focus from disease management to disease prevention and reversal. This commission marks a significant policy shift—one that prioritizes research into the causes of America’s declining health rather than merely treating symptoms.
Key Goals of the Commission
The Make America Healthy Again Commission has four primary objectives:
- Transparency and Open-Source Data: The commission will ensure that federally funded health research is free from conflicts of interest and openly accessible to the public.
- Gold-Standard Research: Federal health-related research will prioritize investigating the underlying causes of chronic disease, rather than just developing treatments.
- Healthy and Affordable Food: The commission will collaborate with farmers to make the U.S. food supply healthier, more abundant, and more affordable.
- Expanded Treatment Options: The commission aims to provide flexibility in health coverage to support lifestyle-based treatments and disease prevention strategies.
Within 100 days, the commission will deliver an assessment of the childhood chronic disease crisis, and within 180 days, it will present a national strategy to improve children’s health.
Why America’s Health Crisis Demands Action
According to data cited in the executive order, Americans are sicker than ever. Life expectancy in the U.S. significantly lags behind other developed nations, and the country has the highest age-standardized cancer incidence rate globally. Chronic conditions such as asthma, autoimmune diseases, obesity, and mental health disorders have skyrocketed, particularly among children.
- 40.7% of U.S. children now have at least one chronic condition.
- Autism rates have surged from 1 in 10,000 in the 1980s to 1 in 36 today.
- Obesity and prediabetes affect nearly half of all adolescents.
- Over 3.4 million children are on medication for ADHD, with diagnoses continuing to rise.
Beyond the individual health toll, chronic disease has serious national security and economic implications. With 77% of young adults unfit for military service due to health issues and 90% of America’s $4.5 trillion annual healthcare costs going toward chronic and mental health conditions, the need for reform is urgent.
Who Will Be on the Commission?
The commission, chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., includes a diverse group of federal officials from across multiple agencies, including:
- The Secretary of Agriculture (food policy)
- The Secretary of Education (school nutrition and health education)
- The Administrator of the EPA (environmental health factors)
- The Commissioner of the FDA (food and drug safety)
- The Director of the NIH (medical research leadership)
- The Director of the CDC (public health initiatives)
By bringing together leaders from various sectors, the commission seeks a comprehensive approach to solving America’s health crisis.
Challenges and Controversies
While the commission’s goals have been widely praised, its leadership has sparked debate. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime advocate for alternative health policies, has faced criticism for questioning conventional medical approaches, particularly in relation to vaccines. Although Kennedy has publicly stated that he supports the CDC’s recommended vaccination schedule, concerns remain that his tenure could introduce skepticism toward mainstream medical practices.
Additionally, the commission’s focus on reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals has raised questions about how it will navigate existing healthcare industry interests, particularly with regard to drug companies and regulatory agencies.
The Make America Healthy Again Commission represents a major pivot in U.S. health policy. Instead of continuing down a path dominated by expensive treatments and pharmaceutical dependency, the Trump administration is advocating for a root-cause approach—focusing on nutrition, environmental health, and lifestyle changes.
With an aggressive timeline and a team spanning multiple agencies, the commission has the potential to usher in significant changes in how the government approaches public health. Whether it will succeed in reversing America’s chronic disease crisis remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the White House is putting health reform at the center of its agenda.
