Fluoride, vaccines and food dyes are part of RFK Jr.'s plan to “Make America Healthy Again.” What do experts think?

President-elect Donald Trump said that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would play a “big role in health care” in his administration and that he would allow Kennedy to “run wild” in his appointed position and do “pretty much whatever.” he wants”. ” And on Wednesday, Kennedy said he would eliminate “entire departments” of the Food and Drug Administration. But what does this mean for the American people? Here's what you should know about the former presidential candidate's health ideas and what experts think.

After decades of anti-vaxxer activism, Kennedy is taking a softer stance

Kennedy told MSNBC on Wednesday that he has “never been against vaccinations,” but his track record suggests otherwise. In 2015, he took the position of chairman of an organization called Children's Health Defense, whose main concern on its website is vaccinations. The organization questions the health, safety and effectiveness of vaccinations for children and has filed lawsuits alleging that children have been harmed by vaccinations. Kennedy has also amplified false claims that vaccines cause autism and was identified by the Center for Countering Digital Hate as one of the “dozens of disinformation” responsible for spreading 65% of false vaccine claims online.

He now insists he is “not going to take vaccines away from anyone” and wants to “ensure that scientific safety studies and effectiveness studies are available and that people can judge individually whether the product is good for them.”

This personal choice approach may sound harmless, but it doesn't work particularly well when applied to infectious diseases. When people decide whether to vaccinate their children or themselves against an intangible, eradicated disease like measles or polio, “there's a catch,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told Yahoo Life. “The reason you don't see this disease is because (people) are vaccinated and there's enough herd immunity around you that if someone gets it, the disease doesn't spread.”

Childhood vaccination rates in many states have already fallen below recommended levels for herd immunity against diseases such as measles and whooping cough as the proportion of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children because of exemptions has increased. And as fewer children were vaccinated, there were more outbreaks of these diseases. “While it is critical for people to have access to accurate safety information and make informed decisions, … allowing broad individual opt-outs could lead to a weakening of these community protections,” Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general during Trump's first term, tells Yahoo Life. Currently, each state sets its school vaccination requirements, but these are based on recommendations from federal health officials.

Kennedy on fluoride

According to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Health Prevention, about 63% of the U.S. population received fluoride in their drinking water in 2022. Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in certain foods and helps promote strong bones and teeth. Dentists treat teeth with fluoride, and the mineral is found in most toothpastes. Adding it to drinking water is said to reduce tooth decay rates by 25% to 35% in both children and adults.

In the 1940s, fluoride was added to the U.S. municipal water supply. In the many decades since, fluoride has become the subject of conspiracy theories and misinformation. Days before the election, Kennedy reiterated that the White House will advise all of the United States. Water systems to remove fluoride from public water.”

Kennedy contradicted that claim in his MSNBC interview on Wednesday, saying he would not force anyone to remove fluoride from drinking water. But he added, “I think the quicker it goes out, the better,” and suggested he would warn water districts of their “legal liability” if they choose to leave fluoride in their water systems.

In practice, fluoridation is a practice mandated by state and local authorities. “While the federal government can make recommendations, it cannot directly mandate or ban the use of fluoride in public water systems,” Adams says. But he adds that the White House and the secretary of Health and Human Services can influence local policy through appropriations, recommendations and public communications. Completely eliminating fluoride, as Kennedy White House envisions, “could cost the U.S. billions in additional health care costs due to increased need for dental care,” Adams says.

“Why do we eat Froot Loops?” Kennedy is concerned about food dyes and additives

Kennedy vowed in a statement Wednesday to exclude “entire departments” of the FDA. Specifically, he called out the “nutrition department,” which, in his opinion, “is not protecting our children.” “Why is it that in this country there are Froot Loops that have 18 or 19 ingredients, and when you go to Canada there are three?” (Kennedy acknowledged, by the way, that only Congress has the power to abolish federal agencies).

While Kennedy didn't explain why this was a top issue for him in his MSNBC interview, he posted a video on YouTube in September that shed some light on the issue. Referring to Cap'n Crunch cereal and Doritos, he said that “it is no coincidence that Americans die earlier than Canadians, Germans, Japanese, Koreans, Australians or most other comparable countries,” citing rising rates of obesity and Cancer rates. To be clear, there is no evidence that food dyes or additives alone kill or cause cancer, although researchers are studying the link between highly processed foods, obesity and disease.

“While RFK Jr. raises some legitimate concerns about the ingredients and additives in our food supply, particularly the use of artificial food colors and preservatives, the broader proposal to eliminate regulatory agencies like the FDA's Division of Nutrition is wrong,” Adams says. “When it comes to food additives, while there is growing public concern about certain ingredients, many of these concerns are addressed through existing regulatory processes. The FDA regularly reviews the safety of food additives based on new science and research.”

Implementing Kennedy's ambitious policies will fall to the states

Kennedy's stated goal is to “make America whole again,” but can he achieve it? Most health policies, including water fluoridation and vaccination requirements, are under the jurisdiction of state and local governments. However, if Kennedy's beliefs are translated into policy or messaging, it could have real consequences. The hope, however, is that the new administration will “prioritize the well-being of the public,” Adams said.