Opens Up the Future of Family and Community

The "Health Recovery" Revolution Envisioned by MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) : Secretary RFK Jr.’s Challenge and the New World Health Order

Seki Kei, Oriental Medical Doctor

August 18, 2025

In the United States, the “MAHA” project led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is said to tackle the root causes of a challenge that will shape the nation’s future: chronic diseases in children. As Japan, too, faces a rise in chronic illness and surging medical costs, the outcome of this effort will offer important lessons. Moreover, Kennedy’s bid to spearhead a reorganization of international health policy is likely to have significant implications for Japan.

His agenda, which squarely throws down the gauntlet to conventional public health policy, has drawn fervent support—and, naturally, considerable criticism. In this article, while reserving judgment on MAHA itself, we outline the basic principles Kennedy has set for the initiative, introduce the latest government report on childhood chronic disease, and sketch the United States’ emerging strategy for global health governance, with the aim of offering a perspective on the future of healthcare.

Background to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Appointment

On February 13, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. became the 26th U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Senate confirmed him by a narrow 52–48 vote, and he was sworn in at the White House the following day, February 14.

Known as an environmental lawyer and a scion of the Democratic Kennedy family, he nonetheless assumed a senior post in a Republican administration—a cross-party appointment rarely seen in recent years. Having lost his father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and later his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, to assassination—he was fourteen at the time of his father’s death—he spent a youth marked by deep loss and substance dependence. He has publicly said that “an encounter with Jesus changed my life from the ground up.”

As an attorney, he threw himself into lawsuits against major pharmaceutical and food corporations on behalf of children suffering from vaccine side effects and food additives, though he won only a few cases against such well-funded opponents. Even so, he says he prayed every morning for nineteen years to be given a mission to “end chronic disease in America,” and that President Trump subsequently approached him to serve as HHS secretary. Overcoming opposition from members of the Kennedy family and fellow Democrats, his appointment represented a moment in which his personal faith and public mission aligned.

Restoring “A Thousand Dreams” — The Inaugural Address and HHS Reform

At his swearing-in, Secretary Kennedy declared, “A healthy person has a thousand dreams, but a sick person has only one—healing,” and called the present situation—where healthcare spending exceeds four trillion dollars even as indicators of chronic disease such as diabetes, obesity, autism, infertility, and early puberty rank among the worst in the developed world—“a national emergency.” The next day, President Trump signed Executive Order 14212, establishing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission to end the epidemic of chronic disease in children.

To achieve the top priority of reversing this epidemic, the Secretary ordered radical transparency: by default, research data and funding flows from all HHS agencies—including the NIH, CDC, and FDA—are to be posted online, and public–private collusion (the so-called “revolving door”) is to be cut off.

He also set out five values for staff—competence, ethics, transparency, compassion, and pride—and called for restoring science independent of politics and services centered on the public. In addition, he signaled plans to examine not only vaccine safety but also electromagnetic radiation, pesticides, ultra-processed foods, psychiatric medications, and PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, a group of synthetic fluorinated organic compounds), emphasizing that “shining a light on hidden risks is the first step toward rebuilding trust.”

MAHA Assessment: Four Root Causes and the Road Ahead

Released on May 27, 2025, the Make Children Healthy Again Assessment reports that, among approximately 7.3 million U.S. children aged 0–17, more than 40% are living with some form of chronic condition such as asthma, allergies, obesity, autoimmune diseases, or developmental/behavioral disorders. The report groups the contributing factors into four categories based on scientific evidence and recommends strategic interventions for each.

1) Excessive intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
MAHA notes that about 70% of American children’s caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which it links to increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and behavioral disorders. Because these foods are nutritionally poor and strongly flavored, children become inclined to avoid whole foods, making it harder to establish healthy eating habits. Over the long term, MAHA warns, this pattern can contribute not only to lifestyle-related diseases but also to decreased concentration and motivation to learn.

2) Cumulative exposure to environmental toxicants
MAHA expresses concern that children are routinely exposed to PFAS, pesticides, microplastics, heavy metals, and other environmental toxic substances. PFAS, in particular, are persistent and tend to accumulate in the body, potentially increasing risks of hormonal disruption, immune dysfunction, and developmental disorders. Given the heightened vulnerability of children during growth, MAHA calls for stronger regulation and protective measures.

3) Physical inactivity and chronic stress in the digital age
According to MAHA, prolonged use of smartphones and tablets has exacerbated children’s physical inactivity, sleep disturbances, and mental health problems. Overstimulation tied to screen dependence can undermine attention and emotional stability, contributing to increases in early puberty, depression, and anxiety. MAHA stresses that revisiting children’s daily environments is essential for healthy development.

4) Medical over-intervention and dependence on medications
MAHA points out that prescriptions of pediatric medications for conditions such as ADHD and depressive symptoms have doubled over the past two decades, reflecting growing reliance on medical interventions. While pharmacotherapy may temporarily suppress symptoms, MAHA raises concerns about side effects and dependency risks. It advocates a shift toward ethical, sustainable care that emphasizes prevention and foundational supports.

To address these four root issues, the MAHA Commission has already begun developing countermeasures and is slated to announce a comprehensive strategy in August 2025, including clinical trials of whole-food–centered diets, nationwide lifestyle interventions, and the creation of chemical risk maps. The aim is not only to restore children’s health but also to launch a broader health reform to safeguard the nation’s future.

Withdrawal from WHO and a Proposal for a “New International Health Institution”

On May 20, 2025, in a video address to the World Health Assembly (WHA), Secretary Kennedy sharply criticized the WHO, saying it had become mired in bureaucracy and had yielded to corporate medicine and Chinese political influence. Citing the WHO’s handling of early information on human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 and its dismissal of the Wuhan Institute of Virology hypothesis in favor of a bat-origin narrative, he argued that the organization had abandoned its principles of transparency and respect for member-state sovereignty.

President Trump has formally decided to withdraw the United States from the WHO, and Secretary Kennedy outlined a plan to establish—with like-minded countries—a new international health organization grounded in transparency, efficiency, and accountability. This body would prioritize uncovering the root causes of chronic disease and improving lifestyle factors, share research data openly, and uphold national healthcare cultures and sovereignty. Media reports indicate that Argentina and Italy are considering participation, with interest also expressed from countries in Asia and the Middle East—developments seen as potentially disruptive to existing global health governance.

Conclusion: A Turning Point in U.S. Health and Healthcare Policy

Secretary Kennedy’s vision—“from treatment to prevention” and “toward transparent science”—signals a historic pivot for U.S. healthcare from reactive, after-the-fact responses to tackling root causes. The underlying premise is that only by improving lifestyles and environments and addressing fundamental drivers can the nation’s dreams and productivity be restored. To realize this shift, he urges clinicians, researchers, industry, and policymakers alike to return to medicine’s core mission—serving people’s health—and to pursue reform with shared ethical standards.

While debate over the MAHA project is polarized, it undeniably reflects a broader public distrust of the current medical system in the United States. The concerns MAHA raises may prompt healthcare professionals in many countries to reconsider how they confront chronic disease within their own systems.

References

Social Policy Overseas Information
August 18, 2025
Overseas Information

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