President-elect Donald Trump has selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) as his nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

When RFK abandoned his independent bid for President and joined Donald Trump’s campaign, he was promised a prominent role overseeing the US health industry. Trump announced on X that he will nominate RFK to to lead HHS.

RFK has a long history of tackling large industries over climate change and health issues, winning legal battles that some thought were unwinnable. If his nomination passes, HHS is likely to look significantly different under RFK’s leadership, as he has been a long-time champion of the need for Americans to change their lifestyle to fix underlying health issues, rather than relying on drugs to address symptoms. RFK is also a long-time opponent of the food industry’s use of ingredients and chemicals that are banned in many other parts of the world due to the negative effects they have on human health.

In the course of his career, however, RFK has often been labeled an anti-vaxxer—a label he denies—because of his outspoken criticism of how some vaccines are made. Specifically, he was an early opponent of the use of mercury in childhood vaccines, a component believed to be a contributing factor in autism. He has also advocated for more research to be done on why small groups of individuals experience negative—even life-threatening—side effects to some vaccines in an effort to make them safer.

“Despite what you may have heard, I’m not going to take away anybody’s vaccine who wants a vaccine,” RFK says in the video below. “I’m just going to make them safer for everyone. I’m going to make sure the industry is responsible for their product, and I’m going to make sure that you are always free to choose what’s right for you.”

It’s safe to say that RFK’s nomination to lead HHS could have major repercussions for the food and drug industry in the US.