How RFK Jr. Turned “Health Freedom” Into a Brand—and a Business
“We don’t have a health care system—we have a sick care system.”
—Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
That line sounds good.
Like something you might nod along to over coffee with a friend or colleague.
Like a truth someone finally had the guts to say out loud.
But when the person saying it is the Secretary of Health and Human Services—and is simultaneously gutting the American public health system while profiting from the alternatives—it stops sounding brave.
And starts looking a lot more like a hustle.
We’re Not Imagining It—This Is a Pattern
If, like me, you’ve felt lately like something’s not quite right with the direction of our country’s health policy, especially for those of us raising or caring for autistic kids and young adults… you’re not wrong.
This isn’t one bad policy. This is a clear pattern. And just by paying attention more closely – I’ve been able to identify it in the past two months.
It’s a combination of Trump-era deregulation and Kennedy-era performative overhaul—and it’s hitting the disability community hard. And I’m concerned it’s only going to get worse.
Just this past week, CNN and KFF Health News reported that RFK Jr. and four of his top advisors pulled in over $3.2 million in wellness-related income over two years. This includes speaking fees, supplement deals, fringe diagnostics and biohacking products.
And that’s not technically illegal but it is a massive red flag.
Because while Kennedy says he’s here to take down Big Pharma, what we’re seeing is a very intentional shift of power, money, and public trust—from one unaccountable system to another.
This isn’t health freedom. It’s a brand.
And Like Any Good Brand—It Sells
The pharmaceutical industry? Absolutely deserves critique. I’ve written about that too. There’s greed, corruption, and harm—and it needs reform. But much of what ills big pharma can be said about multiple industries — unbridled capitalism and more allegiance to shareholders than patients.
But let’s not pretend the wellness industry is the answer.
It’s a $6.3 trillion global empire. And it’s almost entirely unregulated with no testing requirements nor standards of proof. Just slick marketing and the promise that this time, the solution is natural.
And now we’ve got a health secretary with personal financial ties to that industry—and a platform (MAHA) built to help it thrive.
I’m Not Anti-Supplement. I’m Anti-Grift.
Let me be clear: I’ve used supplements and continue to use them. I’ve worked with integrative practitioners. I’ve seen alternative approaches help where conventional medicine fell short.
But I’ve also watched the whole space become completely overrun with influencers, self-appointed experts, and people selling hope in shiny capsules. Products marketed like energy drinks—promises, not proof.
And now the people dismantling oversight are the same ones selling the products.
You don’t need a public health degree to feel how wrong that is.
“Health Freedom” Sounds Great Until You’re the One Who Gets Cut Off
Here’s the part that hits close to home for me—as a parent raising a non-speaking autistic son:
RFK Jr. has built a lot of goodwill in the autism community, especially among parents who felt ignored, dismissed, or misled by traditional medicine. I get it. I was one of them.
He showed up in vaccine conversations. He challenged authority. He asked questions we were desperate to have answered.
But here’s what his administration—and allied Trump-era policies—are actually doing:
- Canceling expert medical panels like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- Defunding and delaying federal disability grants
- Preserving subminimum wages for disabled workers
- Dismantling the Department of Education and IDEA enforcement
- Gutting community clinics and low-income health programs
- Delaying grant payments that directly impact autistic children and families
And yes—there are some policies I agree with. I’m glad someone is talking about removing synthetic dyes from kids’ food. That should’ve happened long ago.
But those small wins don’t offset the massive harm. Not even close.
Let’s Be Honest About What This Is
This isn’t a revolution in care. It’s a redirection of attention—and money.
Because while families like mine are trying to find decent therapy, stable support staff, and affordable nutrition for our kids, RFK Jr. and his advisors are out here:
- Selling “health freedom” while defunding the public health safety net
- Pushing deregulation while launching supplement lines
- Building personal brands instead of comprehensive policy
- Using autism as a shield—without offering real help
Saying you’ll “find the cause of autism” sounds heroic. But that literally does nothing for the millions of families navigating the reality of it every day.
We need services, support, accessibility, accommodation and representation. Today.
And if RFK Jr. were serious about that, we’d see it in his policies—not just his old podcast clips.
Final Word
Let me say this clearly:
I’m not loyal to institutions. I’m loyal to outcomes.
And what we’re seeing from MAHA and this administration isn’t freedom.
It’s a grift.
As my son Stone put it:
“MAHA is one big grift.”
That may sound harsh. But for those of us living the consequences, it’s also true.
We deserve leaders who don’t just posture—we need leaders who protect the most vulnerable.
Who don’t just market “wellness”—but deliver real health policy and support.
And who remember that the autism community isn’t just a talking point.
We’re a reality. And we’re watching.
