Could RFK Jr be a disruptor and reformer at HHS?

Kennedy is a disruptor, a reformer, which means that not all his punches will land properly but some will, such as his concern about fluoride and our children's intellectual development. 

At the same time, there is a value to considering that each vaccine be retested and reconsidered over time and there is an important upside to updating data and changing policy. Medicine and public health is never strictly one way or that other, it always involves a cost/benefit analysis where the harm of a pathogen is compared with the effectiveness and safety of a preventive or treatment.

There is a certain cohesiveness to Bobby Kennedy's approach. His overarching philosophy regarding Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) is sound. As a society, we weigh far too much, are too sedentary, are exposed to way too many chemicals in our food and our environment that add more inflammation and disease to our bodies. 

At the hearings this week, Bobby Kennedy showed us his fearlessness when faced with the question of pushback from big pharma or big food. He seemed like his father at that moment, insisting that his strategy of reform was only for the public good, not for personal gain and that he would face down any and all enemies and make any personal sacrifice to get there.

Bringing public confidence back in our health care leaders is a tricky proposition. Clearly, transparency is step one. Asking questions and insisting on more science to back up conventional wisdom or changing that wisdom based on newer science is very useful, provided it's not combined with fearmongering. 

It is a tough line to walk but the tremendous growth in biotechnology and AI will help us hew close to the science.