The unprecedented turmoil at the U.S.¡¯ top health agencies, under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is sure to have a long-term impact on the well-being of Americans. Although Kennedy¡¯s mantra has been to ¡°Make America Healthy Again,¡± the most visible changes he and his allies have made within the Department of Health and Human Services in 2025 appear, in practice, designed to do the opposite.
The consequences of Kennedy¡¯s first year in office ¡ª marked by sweeping cuts in funding and personnel at the agencies under his purview, the erosion of expertise and the mainstreaming of anti-vaccine rhetoric into national policy ¡ª will unfold over years or even decades. However, several key metrics could serve as early indicators of how quickly Kennedy¡¯s influence, combined with President Donald Trump¡¯s broader agenda, will shape Americans¡¯ health.
From the spread of preventable diseases to access to both established and emerging drugs and vaccines to health care coverage, here are a few things I¡¯ll be paying attention to in 2026:
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.