Two advisers to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at a natural products trade show in California, promoting the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. They claimed it would benefit various sectors, including the supplement and holistic health industries. Del Bigtree, a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, noted the potential for the Republican Party to uplift these industries by pushing anti-science policies.
The MAHA movement, while presenting itself as grassroots, is backed by well-funded national groups that profit from increasing skepticism around science and medicine. Activists are promoting legislation that could remove consumer protections and advance their financial interests. For example, a Delaware bill legalizing raw milk sales argued it could significantly enhance profits for dairy farmers, despite health concerns linked to raw milk consumption.
Mark McAfee, a major raw milk producer and advocate, has testified in favor of such bills, although his operation has faced multiple recalls tied to contamination. He claims his business’s sales have surged, from $8 million in 2012 to an expected $32 million in 2023.
Many figures in the MAHA movement have lucrative careers tied to promoting these anti-science policies. Bigtree’s companies have earned hundreds of thousands from Kennedy’s political efforts, and significant financial support is also funneled to other advocates and related groups. Tony Lyons, another ally of Kennedy’s, leads a publishing company that produces anti-vaccine materials.
Overall, the MAHA movement’s popularity is evidenced by its increasing prominence in both politics and business, leveraging the narrative that healthy alternatives to pharmaceuticals are essential for well-being, despite the risks associated with some of the promoted products.
