Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission

February 13, 2025

Presidential Actions

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Action Summary

Purpose and Urgency: Addressing America’s declining health metrics, including lower life expectancy compared to other developed countries, widespread chronic diseases, mental health issues, and alarming childhood health trends.
Health Crisis Statistics: Highlights include 1.25 billion fewer life years, the highest incidence of cancer internationally, rising rates of asthma, autism, auto-immune diseases, and troubling prevalence of chronic conditions among children and adolescents.
Federal Policy Shift: Mandate for executive agencies to focus on reversing chronic diseases by:
- Ensuring transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest in federally funded research.
- Prioritizing research on the underlying causes of poor health outcomes.
- Collaborating with farmers for healthier, affordable food.
- Expanding treatment options and insurance benefits that promote healthy lifestyle choices and disease prevention.
Establishment of the Commission: Creation of the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and led by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. The Commission includes key cabinet and agency officials (e.g., Agriculture, HUD, Education, Veterans Affairs, EPA, OMB, and others).
Focus on Childhood Chronic Disease: The Commission’s initial mission is to study and address the burgeoning crisis of childhood chronic diseases by:
- Investigating potential causes (diet, toxic exposures, lifestyle, environmental factors, etc.).
- Educating the public with clear, transparent facts.
- Providing comprehensive policy recommendations.
Assessment and Strategy Development:
- Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment due within 100 days to analyze prevalence, risks, and factors associated with childhood chronic diseases.
- Strategy Report due within 180 days to restructure the Federal response and implement solutions to end childhood chronic disease.
Additional Reporting and Implementation: Future updates and reports to refine the mission, with provisions ensuring no impairment to existing legal authorities or budgetary processes.

Risks & Considerations

The establishment of the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission highlights a significant federal focus on addressing chronic diseases and mental health issues. This could lead to increased scrutiny and potential changes in healthcare policies that may affect university health programs and research initiatives.
Vanderbilt University may need to align its health-related research priorities with the federal government’s emphasis on transparency, open-source data, and eliminating conflicts of interest. This could require adjustments in research methodologies and partnerships.
The focus on childhood chronic diseases and the potential restructuring of federal responses may impact funding and support for existing university programs related to child health, nutrition, and lifestyle education.
There is a risk that changes in federal health policies could affect the university’s healthcare services, particularly if new regulations or funding structures are introduced to support disease prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion.
The emphasis on restoring the integrity of science and increasing transparency may require Vanderbilt to review its research practices and ensure compliance with new federal standards and expectations.

Impacted Programs

Vanderbilt University Medical Center may see increased opportunities for collaboration with federal agencies on research related to chronic diseases, mental health, and childhood health issues.
The School of Nursing could play a crucial role in developing and implementing educational programs focused on nutrition, physical activity, and mental health for children and adolescents.
Vanderbilt’s Public Health Programs may need to adapt their curricula and research focus to align with the federal government’s priorities on health transparency and disease prevention.
The Office of Research might need to enhance its compliance and ethics review processes to meet new federal standards for transparency and industry influence in research.

Financial Impact

The potential restructuring of federal health programs and funding could impact Vanderbilt’s access to research grants and financial support for health-related initiatives.
Increased federal focus on disease prevention and healthy lifestyles may open new funding opportunities for Vanderbilt to develop innovative programs and partnerships in these areas.
Changes in healthcare policies and funding structures could affect the university’s healthcare services and require adjustments in budgeting and resource allocation.
Vanderbilt may need to invest in enhancing its research infrastructure and compliance processes to align with new federal expectations for transparency and scientific integrity.

Relevance Score: 4 (The executive order presents a need for potential major changes or transformations in health-related programs and research practices.)

Key Actions

Vanderbilt University Medical Center should consider expanding research initiatives focused on chronic diseases, particularly those affecting children, to align with federal priorities. This could involve interdisciplinary collaborations to study the root causes of these diseases and develop innovative prevention strategies.
The School of Nursing could develop programs that emphasize preventive care and healthy lifestyle education, potentially partnering with federal agencies to pilot new health initiatives aimed at reducing chronic disease rates.
Vanderbilt’s Department of Health Policy should engage in policy analysis and advocacy related to the new federal health policies. By providing evidence-based recommendations, the department can influence policy decisions and contribute to national discussions on health reform.
The Office of Federal Relations should monitor developments from the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission to identify potential funding opportunities for research and community health programs that align with the commission’s goals.
Vanderbilt’s Public Health Program could explore partnerships with government agencies to conduct research on the effectiveness of existing educational programs related to nutrition, physical activity, and mental health for children.

Opportunities

The executive order presents an opportunity for Vanderbilt University to position itself as a leader in health research by focusing on the prevention and treatment of childhood chronic diseases. This could enhance the university’s reputation and attract federal funding.
By engaging with the commission’s initiatives, Vanderbilt can expand its influence in shaping national health policies and strategies, particularly those related to childhood health and chronic disease prevention.
The emphasis on transparency and open-source data in federally funded health research aligns with Vanderbilt’s commitment to scientific integrity and could lead to new collaborative research opportunities.
Vanderbilt can leverage its expertise in health policy and public health to contribute to the development of new federal strategies aimed at addressing the childhood chronic disease crisis, potentially influencing future health policies and funding allocations.

Relevance Score: 4 (The order presents significant opportunities for Vanderbilt to engage in health research and policy advocacy, requiring major process changes to align with federal priorities.)

Average Relevance Score: 3.8

Timeline for Implementation

Within 100 days of February 13, 2025: The Commission shall submit the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment”.
Within 180 days of February 13, 2025: The Commission shall submit the “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy”.

Relevance Score: 2

Impacted Government Organizations

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): As the Commission is chaired by the HHS Secretary, this department is centrally responsible for coordinating the health strategy and overseeing policy implementation.
Department of Agriculture (USDA): The USDA is included as a member of the Commission, emphasizing its role in ensuring food quality and nutrition aligned with the order’s goals.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD is tasked with participating on the Commission, indicating its involvement in addressing environmental and community health issues.
Department of Education: Its inclusion in the Commission underscores the role of educational institutions in promoting health literacy and preventive care initiatives.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): The VA’s participation reflects a commitment to addressing chronic disease challenges among veterans.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Represented by its Administrator on the Commission, the EPA will contribute its expertise on environmental factors affecting public health.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB): The OMB is involved to ensure that coordination of budgetary and administrative aspects supports the health initiatives outlined in the order.
Office of the President – Domestic Policy Team: Through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, the White House is directly engaged in executing the strategy.
National Economic Council (NEC): The NEC is included to integrate economic considerations with health-related policy reforms.
Council of Economic Advisers: Its input is sought for assessing the broader economic impacts of chronic health conditions and proposed solutions.
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): OSTP is tasked with ensuring that scientific processes and research integrity underpin the Federal response to chronic disease.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Represented by its Commissioner, the FDA is essential for ensuring that medication, food safety, and drug policies support health outcomes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC’s role on the Commission highlights its central role in public health surveillance and preventative strategies.
National Institutes of Health (NIH): As the principal public health research agency, the NIH will focus on advancing gold-standard research to uncover the root causes of chronic disease.

Relevance Score: 4 (The order impacts 11-15 federal agencies across various departments, highlighting a broad governmental directive on public health.)

Responsible Officials

Secretary of Health and Human Services – Serves as the Commission Chair, responsible for leading the implementation of initiatives to address the chronic and childhood disease crisis.
Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy – Acts as the Commission’s Executive Director, overseeing coordination and delivery of the Commission’s assessments and strategy to the President.
Secretary of Agriculture – As a Commission member, works with farmers to ensure that food is healthy, abundant, and affordable.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development – Participates on the Commission to address broader health determinants affecting populations.
Secretary of Education – Provides insight into the role of educational programs in preventing childhood health issues as a Commission member.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs – Contributes as a Commission member by addressing health outcomes for veteran populations and advising on health policies.
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency – Brings environmental health perspectives to the Commission’s efforts in combating chronic diseases.
Director of the Office of Management and Budget – Assists in ensuring proper allocation of funds and overseeing budgetary implications related to the Commission’s mandate.
Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy – Serves as a Commission member, contributing to policy formulation and implementation strategy.
Director of the National Economic Council – Provides economic analyses and recommendations as part of the Commission’s work on public health strategy.
Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers – Advises on economic implications of health policy as a key member of the Commission.
Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy – Offers scientific oversight and ensures the integrity of the research process within the Commission’s efforts.
Commissioner of Food and Drugs – Contributes expert oversight on medication, food, and drug safety as a vital member of the Commission.
Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Brings public health expertise to the Commission to ensure data-driven strategies for disease prevention.
Director of the National Institutes of Health – Provides leadership in prioritizing research on the root causes of health issues as part of the Commission.
Other Administration Members – Additional officials invited at the discretion of the Chair and Executive Director to contribute as needed.

Relevance Score: 5 (Directives affect high-level Cabinet and White House officials with major roles in policy and strategy formulation.)