How RFK Jr. is steamrolling science as health secretary

STAT investigation finds he frequently relied on misinformation to support policy decisions and misstated scientific evidence.

November 22, 2025 Check out STAT+

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Maksym Filipenko for STAT STAT+ | How RFK Jr., America's celebrity health secretary, is steamrolling science Kennedy, the nation's 26th secretary of Health and Human Services and arguably the most disruptive, examined in a revealing STAT deep-dive profile. By Chelsea Cirruzzo, Casey Ross, and Sarah Todd Caitlin O'Hara for STAT STAT+ | Many truck drivers don't live past 61. Could digital health help? Sleep deprivation, lack of exercise, and poor diet trims the average trucker's lifespan to 61 years. The Offshift app offers alternatives to long-haulers. By Katie Palmer Maria Fabrizio for STAT Why men are flocking to dubious online clinics for testosterone therapy Testosterone therapy is booming, thanks to online clinics and influencer hype, but experts say many men may be missing needed treatment By Annalisa Merelli Is a bad flu season on the way? Experts see reason to be anxious Flu shots reduce hospitalizations even in years when unexpected strains appear. 'If there's ever a year to get a flu vaccine, this is the year.' By Helen Branswell Covid skeptics are starting to win in court. Vaccine access could shrink as a result Groups such as the Freedom Counsel legal network, Children's Health Defense, and Informed Consent Action Network move to capitalize on shift in D.C. power. By Isabella Cueto STAT+ | Trump and RFK Jr. are mulling their most disruptive vaccine policies yet — alarming manufacturers Trump and Kennedy push to reformulate vaccines into single shot doses, remove aluminum leaves drugmakers warning of shortages and risks for kids. By Daniel Payne Brain organoid pioneers fear inflated claims about biocomputing could backfire Scientists at a brain organoid meeting said terms like "organoid intelligence" and other claims by biocomputing firms could cause a backlash By Megan Molteni STAT+ | RFK Jr.'s warnings on thimerosal in vaccines threaten to instill doubt overseas, experts fear RFK Jr.'s push to drop thimerosal from vaccines is raising global concern, as experts warn his claims could fuel confusion and weaken immunization efforts. By Helen Branswell

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