Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announces New HHS Initiatives as Whooping Cough Cases Fall

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined a series of new priorities for the department, emphasizing tighter regulation of ultra‑processed foods, greater transparency for food additives, and a focus on chronic‑disease prevention. The outline signals a potential shift in how agencies such as the FDA and CDC will address obesity, diabetes and related health crises.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that pertussis (whooping cough) cases have dropped sharply, from a peak of 43,321 in 2024 to 28,783 in 2025 and further to 4,763 in early 2026. The New York Times ran a front‑page story titled “Doctors Seeing Grim Illnesses Strike Unvaccinated Children,” which the analysis describes as alarmist and selectively presenting data, ignoring the recent decline.