15 Nov 2024 | 06:35:25 AM IST
Synopsis
US Live News Updates: Donald Trump selects RFK Jr to lead top US health agency
US Live News Updates: President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist who has spread misinformation on vaccines, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the United States’ top health agency.
Kennedy ran for president in this year’s election as an independent before dropping out in August and endorsing Trump in exchange for a role in the Republican’s administration.
Kennedy, the son and nephew of two titans of Democratic politics, has frequently talked about tackling what he calls the “chronic disease epidemic” of conditions including obesity, diabetes and autism, and reducing chemicals in food.
“The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country,” Trump said in a post on social media.
The Department of Health and Human Services oversees drug regulation, public health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and health insurance for more than 140 million people including the poor, those aged 65 and older, and the disabled through Medicare and Medicaid.
HHS had a $3.09 trillion budget for fiscal year 2024, representing 22.8% of the U.S. federal budget.
Drew Altman, president of health research firm KFF, described the move as historic and said what Kennedy, if confirmed, would ultimately do in the role remains to be seen, given he has not often discussed programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which account for much of the U.S. health budget.
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