Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson mark the one-year anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of HHS, and take stock of the chaos. They begin with a sobering look at new research linking abortion restrictions to higher maternal mortality. The conversation also touches on staffing shakeups across federal health agencies and what it means for the stability of America’s public health infrastructure.
Then, they count down RFK Jr.’s Top 10 “worst hits” of the year, from sewage swims and AI-generated health reports riddled with fake citations, to dismantling CDC leadership, promoting autism misinformation, slashing tens of thousands of staff, and undermining vaccine confidence nationwide. It’s a candid and often darkly humorous look at how ideology, chaos, and coalition politics are reshaping U.S. health policy, and what the long-term consequences could be.
Background reading:
Bloomberg: Pregnant Women Die at Higher Rates When States Restrict Abortion
RFK Jr. says he snorted cocaine off of toilet seats on X
RFK Jr. and Kid Rock in the “Secretary Kennedy and Kid Rock’s ROCK OUT WORK OUT” video on X
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Press Office on X
Alyssa Farah Griffin, co-host of The View, on X
MedPage Today: Here’s How Many Jobs HHS Has Lost Since RFK Jr. Took Over
The Washington Post: White House, RFK Jr. shake up health leadership after controversies
The New York Times: Kennedy Allies Target States to Overturn Vaccine Mandates for Schoolchildren
POLITICO: RFK Jr.’s allies are trying to free anti-vaccine doctors to speak their minds
The New York Times: R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain
The New York Times: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sawed the Head Off a Whale and Drove It Home, Daughter Says
NPR: RFK Jr. admits to dumping a dead bear in Central Park, solving a decade-old mystery
PEOPLE: RFK Jr. Says Heroin Made Him a Top-of-Class Student in Resurfaced Clip: ‘It Worked for Me’
NBC News: RFK Jr. goes swimming with grandchildren in contaminated D.C. creek
The New York Times: 100 Push-Ups and 50 Pull-Ups in Under 10 Minutes. What Could Go Wrong?
Daily Beast (via Yahoo! News): RFK Jr. Awkwardly Hauls Dr. Oz Up a Cliff in Bonkers MAHA Stunt
CIDRAP: MAHA report on chronic disease in US kids includes fake citations, other errors
MedPage Today: U.S. Unveils New Dietary Guidelines
The Hill: Kennedy wants to end ‘war on saturated fats’ with new dietary guidelines
MedPage Today: RFK Jr. Pledged More Transparency. Here’s What the Public Doesn’t Know Anymore.
The New York Times: Several of Kennedy’s Dietary Advisers Have Ties to Meat and Dairy Interests
MedPage Today: Are Vaccine Panels at CDC, FDA ‘Plagued’ by Conflicts? Numbers Say No
STAT: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest
Public Citizen: MAHA, Means, Money – MAHA’s influence in US health care means big money for Big Wellness
Chemical & Engineering News: RFK Jr.’s claim that Tylenol causes autism has no backing
PBS News: Reupping unproven claims about Tylenol, Kennedy claims a link between circumcision and autism
HHS: President Trump, Secretary Kennedy Announce Bold Actions to Tackle Autism Epidemic
POLITICO: RFK Jr. says he directed CDC to remove claim that vaccines do not cause autism
BBC: RFK Jr pledges to find the cause of autism by September
MedPage Today: Here’s How Many Jobs HHS Has Lost Since RFK Jr. Took Over
CBS News: Senior CDC officials resign after Monarez ouster, cite concerns over scientific independence
FIERCE Healthcare: RFK Jr. defends proposed HHS budget as Democrats slam cuts, gutting of CDC vaccine panel
The New York Times: The Disappearing Funds for Chronic Diseases
Scientific American: The Abortion Pill Is Safe. Scientists Fear an FDA Investigation Will Ignore Science
The Atlantic: A Convenient Piece of Junk Science
The 19th: RFK Jr. says he wants to curb measles. His former nonprofit keeps undermining his message.
Politifact: No, the COVID-19 vaccine is not the deadliest vaccine ever made
CiDRAP: Annenberg poll shows drop in perceived safety of vaccines
CNBC: Kennedy defends Trump glyphosate order; MAHA erupts as midterms approach
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