RFK Jr. to Lead U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under prime Minister Albanese, we Aussies will continue to have more disease.

The return of a Kennedy. The hope for the future but we also need peace to attain the best of health.

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by President-elect Donald J. Trump marks a seismic shift in public health policy. This move has significant implications for addressing the systemic harm caused by Big Food, Big Agriculture, Big Pharma, and corporate-driven medicine—forces that have profoundly affected both human health and environmental stability. Kennedy, known for his fierce advocacy through Children’s Health Defense and his criticisms of corporate and governmental neglect in public health, has long sought to reduce toxic exposures, promote vaccine safety, and overhaul an industrial food system that has proven catastrophic to health and the environment.

Kennedy’s vision—captured in his "Make America Healthy Again" campaign—brings renewed hope for those concerned with the health of people and the planet. He has committed to addressing chronic disease, chemical exposure, and the corporate influence that drives the spread of unsafe medications and highly processed foods. These issues, which are directly tied to the environmental and health degradation we are witnessing, require a drastic redirection of policy. Kennedy’s approach targets the long-standing practices of industries that prioritise profit over public health and have contributed to a host of environmental crises, from soil degradation to water contamination, which also impact human health.

The interconnected power of Big Food, Big Agriculture, and Big Pharma has exerted tremendous influence on public health policies, often at the expense of safe and sustainable practices. Big Food, through its highly processed products, has encouraged widespread consumption of unhealthy foods laden with sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. The outcome has been a rise in chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Moreover, industrial agriculture—the foundation of Big Food’s production—relies heavily on chemical pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. These practices not only contaminate our soil and water but also disrupt ecosystems and harm biodiversity, with long-term consequences for the entire planet.

Big Pharma’s role in public health deterioration is equally problematic. The industry’s drive for profit has led to over-reliance on pharmaceuticals, with questionable drug safety, excessive prescribing practices, and medications with severe side effects as proven with the deaths and serious disease caused by the mRNA vaccines. This model often focuses on symptom management rather than prevention or holistic treatment, which has resulted in rising rates of addiction, chronic disease, and adverse reactions. The power of Big Pharma also extends to regulatory capture, where it influences the very agencies meant to protect public health, including the TGA, FDA and CDC, effectively setting standards that benefit corporate interests over public welfare.

Kennedy’s proposed overhaul is monumental in that it targets the core of these issues, specifically the toxic chemicals infiltrating our food, water, and air. His commitment to ending water fluoridation, for instance, addresses long-standing concerns about the neurological risks fluoride poses to children. Scientific research increasingly shows that the environmental and human health risks of fluoride far outweigh its benefits in dental care. By focusing on removing harmful substances from our water and food supplies, Kennedy aims to shift health policy toward prevention and resilience, which are key to long-term planetary health.

Turning around the damage caused by these industries will require comprehensive reform. First, a transition toward regenerative agriculture could restore soil health, reduce dependence on harmful chemicals, and enhance biodiversity. This shift would mean that agriculture contributes to the well-being of ecosystems rather than depleting them. A healthy soil ecosystem captures carbon, supports diverse microbial life, and prevents harmful runoff, protecting water sources and improving the nutritional content of food. Regenerative agriculture represents a sustainable, long-term alternative to the industrial practices that have degraded soil and poisoned water supplies globally.

In tandem, a move away from ultra-processed foods toward whole, nutrient-dense diets can improve public health and reduce the demand for resource-intensive, environmentally damaging food production practices. Education on natural foods and educating the public about added sugars (pure white and deadly), unhealthy fats, and synthetic ingredients could empower individuals to make healthier choices and reduce their dependence on a system that prioritises shelf life over health.

Finally, breaking Big Pharma’s hold on public health policy means empowering preventative care, including lifestyle and dietary interventions, as primary strategies in health care. A shift from a reactionary model, which depends on pharmaceuticals for disease treatment, to a preventative model will fundamentally alter health outcomes in society. By investing in education about nutrition, environmental health, and the importance of clean food and water, HHS under Kennedy’s guidance could encourage Americans to adopt health practices that foster resilience to disease.

Kennedy’s nomination signals a possibility for transformative change. By recognizing and dismantling the profit-driven interests that have compromised public health and environmental integrity, this appointment has the potential to redirect the health policies of the United States and the world (hopefully including Australia) toward holistic, preventative approaches that not only protect human health but restore the health of the planet. A healthier America, aligned with environmental stewardship, could stand as a model for sustainable public health globally.

For without health and peace, humanity is doomed for another thousand years of misery.

Ian Brighthope

ps remember the four horsemen of the apocalypse: famine, pestilence, war and (premature) death