NCPFF has delivered the following letter to NC Senators Budd and Tillis in support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation.  We are grateful for the additional support of other statewide organizations joining us in this effort.  The letter has also been shared through multiple publications and platforms. 

.@RobertKennedyJr joining forces with @POTUS to address chronic illness was the answer to my – and millions of other Americans' – prayers.

I urge my colleagues in the Senate to confirm his nomination and give him the opportunity to Make America Healthy Again. pic.twitter.com/bjBf4HSJ6D

— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) January 29, 2025

News reports have revealed some criticisms of HHS Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.  These have included questioning his scientific knowledge; raising the fact that he is not a medical professional; and suggesting that he is “anti-vaccine”, and that he threatens to cause polio vaccines to be withdrawn from the market, for example. 

The following undersigned organizations and medical professionals submit that Mr. Kennedy is extraordinarily qualified for the position for which his nomination is pending and strongly support his policy directions.  The above-mentioned objections to his candidacy are spurious and unsupportable.  His knowledge and experience are vast after some 25 years studying the role of environmental toxins in causing chronic health problems.  It is noteworthy that only 4 of the 18 past HHS Secretaries had any medical background.  

Kennedy was named one of Time Magazine’s “Heroes of the planet” for his work leading to reclaiming the Hudson River from toxicity to humans. Two landmark legal victories were a 2018 case against Monsanto concerning cancer caused by Round-up and a DuPont Case featured in the movie “Dark Waters” (2019).  The latter exposed widespread presence of PFOA– a toxic chemical– in drinking water and its devastating effects on public health.

Informed consent has long been a bedrock upon which the integrity of the medical profession rests.  It is essential for gaining trust and compliance with recommendations for public health.  This requires transparency of process, absence of vested interests, and open debate in considering scientific data. “The science is settled” is incompatible with the scientific process – it is always open to debate and new data often dictates change in policy.  

He promises to reform barriers to genuine informed consent; to restore freedom of open dialogue in the realm of medical science; and to address censorship of dissenting opinions on safety of medical products. Financial and other forms of vested interest that threaten the integrity of decision-making concerning approval of medical products must be addressed. He would restore confidence in public health authority and CDC recommendations by bringing open dialogue and objective, unbiased scientific data-driven policy recommendations.  

Numerous sources have revealed that chronic health problems among children have exploded over the past several decades. A CDC analysis in the early 2000s found that roughly 17% of the pediatric population had one or more chronic disease.  A more recent 2023 estimate showed that around 40% of children in the U.S. live with at least one chronic health condition.

Numerous other studies have documented unhealthy dietary practices being followed by young and old alike, with high intakes of simple carbohydrates, unhealthy seed oils, diet sodas with aspartame, highly processed foods, and a variety of toxic additives and chemicals.  

A focus on identifying and remediating toxic exposures that have been shown to contribute to  or cause these conditions fits well within the objective of Making America Healthy Again. For far too long, the focus has been on pharmaceutical prescriptions for symptom reduction rather than prevention, leading to a chronically ill, overweight, and anxiety-ridden population, including children and adults.

There is growing concern about the roles food and pharmaceutical manufacturers play in contributing to unhealthy people as a population with high levels of chronic disease demands more pills instead of learning how to avoid illness and thrive.  

However, a shift is occurring. We are beginning to understand how food, medicine, and lifestyle choices contribute to preventable diseases. We are learning that we don’t have to be dependent on pills or weight loss programs, and that we can take charge of our lives and our future.  The time has come to take advantage of the availability of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr’s unique experience and knowledge to shift to a preventive mode in public health.