Abdelrahman
In accordance with the authority granted to me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, I hereby issue the following order:
Section 1. Objective. The life expectancy of Americans is considerably lower than that of other developed nations. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy in the United States averaged 78.8 years, compared to an average of 82.6 years in similar countries. This difference amounts to a staggering loss of 1.25 billion potential life years for the American population. Alarmingly, 60% of Americans have at least one chronic illness, while 40% live with two or more chronic conditions. Additionally, around 20% of U.S. adults are affected by mental health disorders.
The situation is even more concerning when compared globally. In 2021, among 204 countries and territories, the United States recorded the highest age-standardized incidence of cancer—nearly doubling the rate of the next highest country. Between 1990 and 2021, cancer rates in the U.S. surged by 88%, representing the most significant increase recorded globally. Asthma prevalence in the United States was more than double that of most regions in Europe, Asia, or Africa. Furthermore, disorders on the autism spectrum were most frequently diagnosed in high-income countries, including the United States, in 2021. Autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis are similarly prevalent in affluent regions like North America and Europe. Overall, these global health statistics indicate a troubling trend for American health that demands urgent attention.
Particularly alarming is the impact on American children. In 2022, approximately 30 million children (40.7%) were reported to have at least one health issue, including allergies, asthma, or autoimmune disorders. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder has surged to 1 in 36 children in the U.S.—a dramatic increase from rates of 1 in 10,000 during the 1980s. Moreover, 18% of late adolescents and young adults are diagnosed with fatty liver disease, nearly 30% of adolescents are classified as prediabetic, and over 40% are identified as overweight or obese.
These rising health challenges coincide with an increase in prescribed medications. For instance, more than 3.4 million children are currently receiving medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), up from 3.2 million in 2019-2020, alongside an ongoing rise in diagnoses.
This situation poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of the American populace. A staggering 77% of young adults are ineligible for military service largely due to health issues. Additionally, 90% of the country’s $4.5 trillion annual healthcare spending is directed toward individuals managing chronic and mental health conditions. In essence, Americans across all demographics are facing increasing health challenges that our healthcare system is failing to adequately address. These patterns pose significant risks to our society, economy, and national security.
To effectively confront the escalating health crisis in America, it is crucial to realign our national focus—within both the public and private sectors—toward understanding and substantially reducing chronic disease rates and eradicating childhood chronic illness. This requires innovative approaches to nutrition, physical activity, healthy living, dependency on medication, the impact of new technologies, environmental factors, and the quality and safety of our food and drugs. We must uphold the integrity of the scientific process by safeguarding expert recommendations from outside influences and ensuring transparency in existing data. Our healthcare system must shift its focus from merely managing diseases to promoting overall health.
Sec. 2. Policy. The Federal Government shall adopt a proactive stance in tackling the critical health issues confronting our citizens, particularly the rising incidences of mental health challenges, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. To achieve this, executive agencies tasked with health or healthcare must prioritize reversing chronic disease trends. Under this directive:
(a) All federally supported health research should enhance American empowerment through transparency and open-source data while avoiding conflicts of interest that could distort results and foster distrust;
(b) The National Institutes of Health, along with other federally funded health research bodies, should prioritize high-caliber investigations into the underlying causes of illnesses affecting Americans;
(c) Agencies will collaborate with farmers to ensure that American food remains the healthiest, most plentiful, and most cost-effective globally; and
(d) Agencies will facilitate broader treatment options and flexible health insurance coverage that supports positive lifestyle modifications and disease prevention efforts.
Sec. 3. Formation and Structure of the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) The President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission (Commission) is hereby established, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services serving as Chair and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy acting as Executive Director.
(b) Alongside the Chair and Executive Director, the Commission will include the following officials or their designees:
(i) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(ii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
(iii) the Secretary of Education;
(iv) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
(v) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
(vi) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
(vii) the Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy;
(viii) the Director of the National Economic Council;
(ix) the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers;
(x) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
(xi) the Commissioner of Food and Drugs;
(xii) the Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
(xiii) the Director of the National Institutes of Health; and
(xiv) additional members from my Administration as invited by the Chair and Executive Director.
Sec. 4. Addressing Childhood Chronic Disease. The initial goal of the Commission will be to provide advice and support to the President on how best to utilize his authority to combat the childhood chronic disease epidemic. Thus, the Commission shall:
(a) Investigate the extent of the childhood chronic disease epidemic and its potential contributing factors, including dietary habits, exposure to toxins, medical treatments, lifestyle choices, environmental influences, government policies, food production methods, electromagnetic exposure, and corporate effects;
(b) Assist the President in communicating the childhood chronic disease crisis to the American public, utilizing clear and factual information; and
(c) Deliver government-wide policy and strategy recommendations to the President aimed at addressing the identified contributing factors and ultimately ending the childhood chronic disease epidemic.
Sec. 5. Evaluating and Strategizing through the Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a) Assessment for Making Our Children Healthy Again. Within 100 days from this order’s issuance, the Commission shall present the President, through the Chair and Executive Director, with the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment. This assessment will:
(i) Outline and describe childhood chronic disease in the United States in comparison to other countries;
(ii) Evaluate the risks associated with excessive medication use, certain food ingredients, chemicals, and various exposures that may contribute to chronic conditions in children, using rigorous and transparent data, including international benchmarks;
(iii) Analyze the prevalence of and risks linked to the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss medications;
(iv) Identify best practices for preventing childhood health issues through proper nutrition and advocating for healthy lifestyles;
(v) Review existing educational initiatives concerning nutrition, physical activity, and mental health for children;
(vi) Assess current Federal programs and funding aimed at preventing and addressing childhood health challenges for their effectiveness and reach;
(vii) Ensure the availability of all current and unpublished data related to the childhood chronic disease crisis, in accordance with applicable laws;
(viii) Evaluate Federal childhood health metrics and data, including those from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics and the National Survey of Children’s Health;
(ix) Restore scientific integrity by eliminating undue industry influence, making findings and underlying data publicly available to the fullest extent permitted by law, and enhancing methodological rigor;
(x) Establish a transparency framework and ethics review process for industry-funded projects.
(b) Strategy for Making Our Children Healthy Again. Within 180 days from the date of this order, the Commission shall submit a detailed strategy to the President, through the Chair and Executive Director, based on the findings of the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment mentioned in subsection (a). This strategy will involve a comprehensive restructuring of the Federal Government’s approach to the childhood chronic disease crisis, including eliminating harmful practices and introducing effective solutions to eradicate childhood chronic illness.
(c) The Chair may conduct public hearings, roundtables, and other relevant discussions to gather expert insights from leaders in public health and governmental accountability.
Sec. 6. Additional Reporting Requirements. (a) Following the delivery of the Strategy to the President, the Chair and Executive Director will recommend updates on the Commission’s mission, including further reporting needs.
(b) The Commission will remain inactive after providing the Strategy until a new mission is presented to the President through the Executive Director.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing within this order shall be interpreted as impairing or affecting:
(i) the legally granted authority of an executive department or agency, or its head;
(ii) the responsibilities of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget regarding budgetary, administrative, or legislative matters.
(b) This order will be executed in accordance with applicable laws and is subject to the availability of funds.
(c) This order does not intend to, nor does it create, any right or benefit, either substantive or procedural, that can be enforced against the United States, its agencies, officers, employees, agents, or any other entity.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 13, 2025.
