Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pursuing major changes to federal health policy, focusing on two controversial areas: restricting the use of food stamps for sugary drinks and eliminating pharmaceutical advertising on television. These efforts are part of Kennedy’s broader “Make America Healthy Again” campaign and have already drawn sharp responses from both government agencies and powerful industry groups.
Kennedy is backing petitions from the governors of Kentucky and West Virginia to bar soda purchases through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP, which costs $100 billion annually and supports roughly 42 million Americans, is currently administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not HHS, creating a jurisdictional conflict. The USDA has expressed skepticism over the proposed restrictions, while the American Beverage Association has launched opposition efforts, citing economic and logistical concerns.
The stakes are high. Coca-Cola could see a 2.5 percent global sales drop if sugary drinks are excluded from SNAP nationwide. With roughly a quarter of SNAP dollars spent at Walmart, major retailers would feel the impact as well. Kennedy’s position is clear: taxpayer dollars should not fund products that contribute to obesity and poor health in low-income communities.
Kennedy is also targeting pharmaceutical advertising on television, criticizing its role in inflating demand for expensive medications. Only the U.S. and New Zealand allow direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads. In the U.S., about 30 percent of advertising revenue for TV news programs comes from pharmaceutical companies. That financial dependence, critics argue, contributes to media reluctance in scrutinizing drug makers.
A 1997 legal change allowed drug ads to highlight benefits without listing every potential side effect, leading to the current ad surge. Kennedy and his allies argue that these ads exploit the third-party payer system by encouraging viewers to self-diagnose and pressure doctors, with insurance companies absorbing the costs.
Kennedy’s proposals are already creating friction within the federal government and with industry stakeholders. But his message remains consistent: federal health policies should no longer subsidize harmful products, whether through the grocery checkout or prime-time television.
