U.S. expands MAHA health agenda in Dominican Republic

U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Leah Campos met with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dominican Vice President Raquel Peña and Health Minister Víctor Atallah in Washington, D.C., in mid‑July 2026. The discussion focused on extending the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) initiative to the Dominican Republic, a program aimed at combating rising chronic childhood diseases.

Among the agenda items were the controversial proposals to review the national childhood vaccination schedule and to investigate possible links between chemical exposures and autism. Kennedy expressed interest in Dr. José Fadul’s natural‑supplement approach to autism treatment and suggested a comprehensive scientific study to evaluate its efficacy. The proposal has drawn criticism from the scientific community, and journalist Nuria Piera has questioned Dr. Fadul’s credentials. The United States publicly endorsed the expansion of MAHA despite the debates surrounding its components.