Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The task of reshaping and restructuring this agency of more than 80,000 employees is daunting. Some things he can do right away. Others will require Congressional activity. restructuring DHHS will not be accomplished by a series of edicts from his office. Guidance from the “Department of Government Efficiency” can make the take easier. AND there are tools within DHHS that he can use to make great progress quickly. I’ve outlined a starting point for him here and it’s free:
We the American people are bombarded by many supplements that really don’t work. I believe this is an area that needs over site, my proposal is to have the supplements tested for what they are advertised and rate them. This must be a controlled site by the health department where one could look and check and be well informed. Right now ratings and content on any supplements are not to be trusted. Their purpose is also questionable. This goes for all supplements for wellbeing and weight control.
I took your write up on Substack and asked Grok to summarize your key points and produce a list of actionable items to address the problem/solution for the reorganization. Here’s Grok’s response:
The person’s observation on reorganizing U.S. public health agencies for efficiency and effectiveness can be distilled into several actionable items:
- Leadership Change:
- Replace Current Leadership: Emphasize the need for a change in leadership, particularly the Assistant Secretary for Health, to ensure alignment with public health goals rather than political or corporate interests.
- Reassignment of USPHS Officers:
- Utilize Existing Authority: Use the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reassign USPHS officers to different roles or departments where they can be more effective. For instance, redirect officers to rural health services to bolster healthcare in underserved areas.
- Review and Restructure Programs:
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Audit All Programs: Conduct an immediate review to identify which programs are statutorily mandated by Congress and which can be reorganized or eliminated by executive decision.
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Eliminate Redundancies: Identify and consolidate overlapping or redundant functions across different agencies like NIH, CDC, and FDA to streamline operations.
- Legislative Actions:
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Seek Congressional Support: Push for legislative changes to dismantle or restructure agencies like the NIH, CDC, and FDA where Congressional authorization is required. This includes:
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Extending cooling-off periods for former federal employees entering related industries.
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Prohibiting government employees from profiting from patents developed with public funds.
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- Policy Reforms:
- DEI Policy Review: Advocate for the removal of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies to focus more on merit and efficiency, potentially through executive action initially, followed by Congressional legislation for permanence.
- Budget and Resource Allocation:
- Reallocate Funds: Reorganize budget allocations to fund critical areas more effectively, potentially returning underutilized or misallocated funds to the Treasury.
- Coordination with Government Efficiency Initiatives:
- Collaborate with DOGE: Work in tandem with the “Department of Government Efficiency” led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to ensure that the reorganization aligns with broader government efficiency efforts.
- Public Health Focus:
- Restoration of Public Trust: Implement policies and reforms aimed at restoring public trust in health agencies by focusing on transparency, accountability, and science-based decision-making rather than political influence.
- Long-term Vision:
- Strategic Planning: Develop a long-term strategic plan for public health that includes not just reorganization but also a reevaluation of public health strategies post-COVID, focusing on preparedness, response, and prevention.
This summary focuses on actionable steps that can be taken by the incoming administration to start the process of reorganizing the public health sector, aiming for a system that prioritizes public health over bureaucratic or corporate interests.
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Thanks for doing that! I have just a couple of comments.
But first, just a word about how things work on the agency level. “Mission creep” is probably the best descriptor. IF you allow any hope no matter how slim, for a return to the way things are today it will happen and you won’t notice it until its too late. That’s why the big things have to be done by Congress and not by EO. A lot of these things can be done simultaneously Having said that here are my thoughts
With respect to:
“1.” ASH is on the “plum list” AND he’s also a Commissioned Officer which Kennedy can remove him through involuntary separation. Look for Levine to resign his Commission sometime in December. Though a new ASH will need Congressional approval it should be no problem most likely can by accomplished by voice vote without a hearing. Kennedy needs to do what Trump is doing e.g. "When confirmed Dr. ______ will be appointed as my Assistant Sec. of Health. IF he choses the right person — the exodus will begin . The state goal of the new ASH should be to effect restructuring of our entire Public Health Service component.
“4.” This should include the termination of the C DC, FDA, and NIH Foundations. They have to go because they’ve become laundromats for the agencies so that they can use federal funds to fund activities not approved by Congress.
“5.” I really want DEI gone, not revised, not toned down, just gone. “Equity” is word that suppresses “equality of opportunity” and it allows the minority views to overcome majority actions.
I think that does it – for now (insert eye roll).
OK, so I selected the pencil and edited the post to change the wording. (You can see how I edited that by viewing my orange pencil which shows the edit). I would suggest you take from the Grok outline what you will, and refining it to match what you are advocating for, and integrate additional topics as they come to mind for you given your experience in the field both personally and professionally.