President Donald Trump has reclaimed the presidency, in part due to the endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his “Make America Healthy Again,” or MAHA, movement. Kennedy is reportedly in discussion with Trump’s transition team regarding a potential role in Health and Human Services or the Food and Drug Administration. Whether or not he assumes a formal role in government, he is poised to exert a deeply concerning influence over public health policy. All parents who want a healthy future for their children should urge the administration to reconsider.

As a mother of three school-aged children and a woman interested in providing myself and my family with a healthy lifestyle, many of Kennedy’s recent public comments resonate with me. However, a closer look at his record, including the statements from his nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, or CHD, reveals a troubling disregard for long-established science and an unjustifiably aggressive stance against childhood vaccinations. While his emphasis on “wellness” resonates on the surface, his anti-vaccine rhetoric quickly turns my initial interest into dismay.

Kennedy often emphasizes the rising rates of chronic disease and obesity in America – a reality that many of us recognize and want to combat. Like other parents, I want children to grow up free from obesity and Type-II diabetes. All families should have access to affordable, nutrient-rich diets with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains. Families should not have to rely heavily on processed foods because they can’t afford or find fresh options. Kennedy has even suggested removing processed food from school lunches, an idea many parents would support if it meant their children could enjoy fresh, tasty meals each day. Kennedy’s social media has numerous pictures of him working out, and I think we all should be encouraged to move our bodies through walking, exercise classes, or sports, including daily movement for our kids.

MAHA has voiced support for small farms and sustainable agriculture, calling for a shift away from large-scale, environmentally damaging farming practices. I agree with this, as many of us would prefer meat from animals that are pasture-raised rather than from confined, industrial settings. A national emphasis on healthy eating and exercise could indeed reduce obesity and improve quality of life, including mental health. If Kennedy’s message stopped here, I’d fully support the MAHA cause. But the reality is far more complicated and dangerous.

A quick glance at CHD’s website makes it clear that Kennedy’s commitment to “health” includes promoting unfounded fears about vaccines. CHD’s website lists Kennedy as the Founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Legal Counsel for Children’s Health Defense. Although it currently lists him as “On Leave,” this is his Organization and his beliefs. CHD’s website and social media are full of scientifically disproven claims about the inefficacy of vaccines, the lack of safety testing, the link between autism and vaccines, the side effects of vaccines, and much more nonsense. Again, none of these claims have any merit. Vaccines save millions of lives every year and allow our babies to grow up to be adults when many used to die or suffer serious life-long consequences of diseases like measles and polio.

Kennedy’s messaging dangerously conflates good nutrition and physical fitness with immunity from disease, suggesting that vaccines and medicine are only necessary for those who aren’t “healthy.” While a balanced diet and regular exercise are vital to well-being, health also encompasses preventative medicine, including vaccinations. Vaccines are designed to prevent illness, keeping people healthy by shielding them from preventable diseases. By redefining “health” to exclude modern medicine, Kennedy misleads the public, starting with principles most people can agree on and ending in unscientific conclusions.

If President Trump’s administration truly wants to improve Americans’ health, they should prioritize a strategy that makes nutritious food accessible and affordable, supports wellness in schools, and promotes physical activity. But Kennedy is not the right person to lead this effort. True health includes both lifestyle choices and scientific advances. It is essential that President Trump and MAHA advocates understand this balance and select leaders who recognize that a healthy America is one that embraces both diet and exercise as well as modern medicine.

Ashley Chambers is a lawyer and executive director at Arizona Families for Vaccines, a bipartisan nonprofit focused on building a grassroots, pro-public health movement in Arizona.