At a Glance
- 10,000 HHS jobs cut in first year
- Billions in research funding slashed, $500 m mRNA contract terminated
- CDC no longer recommends COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women
- $1 billion allocated to airport resources for mothers and babies
- $47 million in cancer center grants halted
Why it matters: These moves reshape U.S. public health policy and spark debate over science and vaccine confidence.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reshaped the agency in his first year, cutting thousands of jobs, slashing research budgets, and redefining vaccine recommendations. His actions, tied to the Make America Healthy Again agenda, have drawn praise from some and alarm from medical experts.
Reshaping HHS
Within two months of taking office, Kennedy announced a sweeping restructuring that shut down agencies, consolidated others, and laid off roughly 10,000 employees, on top of another 10,000 who had already taken buyouts.
- 10,000 employees laid off
- 10,000 buyouts
- NIH research cuts billions
- $500 m mRNA contract terminated
Vaccine Guidance Overhaul
Kennedy’s tenure saw the CDC withdraw COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women in May, fire the 17-member vaccine advisory committee in June, and in November direct the agency to abandon its stance that vaccines do not cause autism.
Lawrence Gostin stated:
> “In the immediate or intermediate future, the United States is going to be hobbled and hollowed out in its scientific leadership.”
Andrew Nixon said in a statement:
> “In 2025, the Department confronted long-standing public health challenges with transparency, courage, and gold-standard science.”
Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said:
> “I don’t know how many people died during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The CDC also issued guidance requiring pharmacists to obtain a prescription before administering the COVID vaccine.
MAHA and Cross-Agency Push
Kennedy has used the Make America Healthy Again brand to target processed foods, fluoride, and junk-food subsidies. The agenda has spread to other departments:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth promotes fitness initiatives
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy allocated $1 billion for airport resources like playgrounds and nursing pods
- EPA administrator Lee Zeldin outlined a MAHA-aligned plan for his agency
The 2025 MAHA report cited studies that do not exist, raising questions about its scientific basis.
Reactions and Concerns
Medical experts warn that the cuts could hollow out scientific leadership. Senator Tammy Baldwin criticized the halt of $47 million in cancer center grants, and the public has mixed reactions to the movement’s calls to distrust vaccines and promote raw milk.
Key Takeaways
- Kennedy’s first-year overhaul cut 10,000 HHS jobs and billions in research funding.
- CDC vaccine guidance was dramatically altered, removing recommendations for children, pregnant women, and certain routine shots.
- The MAHA agenda has expanded beyond HHS, influencing other federal agencies and sparking controversy over science and public health policy.
These changes underscore the shifting priorities of the current administration and the intense debate over the role of science in public health.
