Establishing the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 19, 2025)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 9833-9836]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2025-02871]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 32 / Wednesday, February 19, 2025 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 9833]]

Executive Order 14212 of February 13, 2025

Establishing the President's Make America Healthy

Again Commission

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. American life expectancy

significantly lags behind other developed countries,

with pre-COVID-19 United States life expectancy

averaging 78.8 years and comparable countries averaging

82.6 years. This equates to 1.25 billion fewer life

years for the United States population. Six in 10

Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four

in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. An estimated

one in five United States adults lives with a mental

illness.

arable countries averaging

82.6 years. This equates to 1.25 billion fewer life

years for the United States population. Six in 10

Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four

in 10 have two or more chronic diseases. An estimated

one in five United States adults lives with a mental

illness.

These realities become even more painful when

contrasted with nations around the globe. Across 204

countries and territories, the United States had the

highest age-standardized incidence rate of cancer in

2021, nearly double the next-highest rate. Further,

from 1990-2021, the United States experienced an 88

percent increase in cancer, the largest percentage

increase of any country evaluated. In 2021, asthma was

more than twice as common in the United States than

most of Europe, Asia, or Africa. Autism spectrum

disorders had the highest prevalence in high-income

countries, including the United States, in 2021.

Similarly, autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory

bowel disease, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis are

more commonly diagnosed in high-income areas such as

Europe and North America. Overall, the global

comparison data demonstrates that the health of

Americans is on an alarming trajectory that requires

immediate action.

seases such as inflammatory

bowel disease, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis are

more commonly diagnosed in high-income areas such as

Europe and North America. Overall, the global

comparison data demonstrates that the health of

Americans is on an alarming trajectory that requires

immediate action.

This concern applies urgently to America's children. In

2022, an estimated 30 million children (40.7 percent)

had at least one health condition, such as allergies,

asthma, or an autoimmune disease. Autism spectrum

disorder now affects 1 in 36 children in the United

States--a staggering increase from rates of 1 to 4 out

of 10,000 children identified with the condition during

the 1980s. Eighteen percent of late adolescents and

young adults have fatty liver disease, close to 30

percent of adolescents are prediabetic, and more than

40 percent of adolescents are overweight or obese.

These health burdens have continued to increase

alongside the increased prescription of medication. For

example, in the case of Attention Deficit Disorder/

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, over 3.4

million children are now on medication for the

disorder--up from 3.2 million children in 2019-2020--

and the number of children being diagnosed with the

condition continues to rise.

medication. For

example, in the case of Attention Deficit Disorder/

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, over 3.4

million children are now on medication for the

disorder--up from 3.2 million children in 2019-2020--

and the number of children being diagnosed with the

condition continues to rise.

This poses a dire threat to the American people and our

way of life. Seventy-seven percent of young adults do

not qualify for the military based in large part on

their health scores. Ninety percent of the Nation's

$4.5 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures is for

people with chronic and mental health conditions. In

short, Americans of all ages are becoming sicker, beset

by illnesses that our medical system is not addressing

effectively. These trends harm us, our economy, and our

security.

To fully address the growing health crisis in America,

we must re-direct our national focus, in the public and

private sectors, toward understanding and drastically

lowering chronic disease rates and ending childhood

chronic disease. This includes fresh thinking on

nutrition, physical activity, healthy

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fully address the growing health crisis in America,

we must re-direct our national focus, in the public and

private sectors, toward understanding and drastically

lowering chronic disease rates and ending childhood

chronic disease. This includes fresh thinking on

nutrition, physical activity, healthy

[[Page 9834]]

lifestyles, over-reliance on medication and treatments,

the effects of new technological habits, environmental

impacts, and food and drug quality and safety. We must

restore the integrity of the scientific process by

protecting expert recommendations from inappropriate

influence and increasing transparency regarding

existing data. We must ensure our healthcare system

promotes health rather than just managing disease.

Sec. 2. Policy. It shall be the policy of the Federal

Government to aggressively combat the critical health

challenges facing our citizens, including the rising

rates of mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes,

and other chronic diseases. To do so, executive

departments and agencies (agencies) that address health

or healthcare must focus on reversing chronic disease.

Under this policy:

(a) all federally funded health research should

empower Americans through transparency and open-source

data, and should avoid or eliminate conflicts of

interest that skew outcomes and perpetuate distrust;

address health

or healthcare must focus on reversing chronic disease.

Under this policy:

(a) all federally funded health research should

empower Americans through transparency and open-source

data, and should avoid or eliminate conflicts of

interest that skew outcomes and perpetuate distrust;

(b) the National Institutes of Health and other

health-related research funded by the Federal

Government should prioritize gold-standard research on

the root causes of why Americans are getting sick;

(c) agencies shall work with farmers to ensure that

United States food is the healthiest, most abundant,

and most affordable in the world; and

(d) agencies shall ensure the availability of

expanded treatment options and the flexibility for

health insurance coverage to provide benefits that

support beneficial lifestyle changes and disease

prevention.

Sec. 3. Establishment and Composition of the

President's Make America Healthy Again Commission. (a)

There is hereby established the President's Make

America Healthy Again Commission (Commission), chaired

by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Chair),

with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy

serving as Executive Director (Executive Director).

(b) In addition to the Chair and the Executive

Director, the Commission shall 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;

rving as Executive Director (Executive Director).

(b) In addition to the Chair and the Executive

Director, the Commission shall 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) other members of my Administration invited to participate, at the

discretion of the Chair and the Executive Director.

Sec. 4. Fighting Childhood Chronic Disease. The initial

mission of the Commission shall be to advise and assist

the President on how best to exercise his authority to

address the childhood chronic disease crisis.

Therefore, the Commission shall:

(a) study the scope of the childhood chronic

disease crisis and any potential contributing causes,

including the American diet, absorption of toxic

material, medical treatments, lifestyle, environmental

factors, Government policies, food production

techniques, electromagnetic radiation, and corporate

influence or cronyism;

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nic

disease crisis and any potential contributing causes,

including the American diet, absorption of toxic

material, medical treatments, lifestyle, environmental

factors, Government policies, food production

techniques, electromagnetic radiation, and corporate

influence or cronyism;

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(b) advise and assist the President on informing

the American people regarding the childhood chronic

disease crisis, using transparent and clear facts; and

(c) provide to the President Government-wide

recommendations on policy and strategy related to

addressing the identified contributing causes of and

ending the childhood chronic disease crisis.

Sec. 5. Initial Assessment and Strategy from the Make

America Healthy Again Commission. (a) Make our Children

Healthy Again Assessment. Within 100 days of the date

of this order, the Commission shall submit to the

President, through the Chair and the Executive

Director, the Make Our Children Healthy Again

Assessment, which shall:

(i) identify and describe childhood chronic disease in America compared to

other countries;

(ii) assess the threat that potential over-utilization of medication,

certain food ingredients, certain chemicals, and certain other exposures

pose to children with respect to chronic inflammation or other established

mechanisms of disease, using rigorous and transparent data, including

international comparisons;

(iii) assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers,

stimulants, and weight-loss drugs;

in chemicals, and certain other exposures

pose to children with respect to chronic inflammation or other established

mechanisms of disease, using rigorous and transparent data, including

international comparisons;

(iii) assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers,

stimulants, and weight-loss drugs;

(iv) identify and report on best practices for preventing childhood health

issues, including through proper nutrition and the promotion of healthy

lifestyles;

(v) evaluate the effectiveness of existing educational programs with regard

to nutrition, physical activity, and mental health for children;

(vi) identify and evaluate existing Federal programs and funding intended

to prevent and treat childhood health issues for their scope and

effectiveness;

(vii) ensure transparency of all current data and unpublished analyses

related to the childhood chronic disease crisis, consistent with applicable

law;

(viii) evaluate the effectiveness of current Federal Government childhood

health data and metrics, including those from the Federal Interagency Forum

on Child and Family Statistics and the National Survey of Children's

Health;

(ix) restore the integrity of science, including by eliminating undue

industry influence, releasing findings and underlying data to the maximum

extent permitted under applicable law, and increasing methodological rigor;

and

(x) establish a framework for transparency and ethics review in industry-

funded projects.

m

on Child and Family Statistics and the National Survey of Children's

Health;

(ix) restore the integrity of science, including by eliminating undue

industry influence, releasing findings and underlying data to the maximum

extent permitted under applicable law, and increasing methodological rigor;

and

(x) establish a framework for transparency and ethics review in industry-

funded projects.

(b) Make our Children Healthy Again Strategy.

Within 180 days of the date of this order, the

Commission shall submit to the President, through the

Chair and the Executive Director, a Make Our Children

Healthy Again Strategy (Strategy), based on the

findings from the Make Our Children Healthy Again

Assessment described in subsection (a) of this section.

The Strategy shall address appropriately restructuring

the Federal Government's response to the childhood

chronic disease crisis, including by ending Federal

practices that exacerbate the health crisis or

unsuccessfully attempt to address it, and by adding

powerful new solutions that will end childhood chronic

disease.

(c) The Chair may hold public hearings, meetings,

roundtables, and similar events, as appropriate, and

may receive expert input from leaders in public health

and Government accountability.

Sec. 6. Additional Reports. (a) Following the

submission to the President of the Strategy, and any

final strategy reports thereafter, the Chair and

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the Executive Director shall recommend to the President

updates to the Commission's mission, including desired

reports.

accountability.

Sec. 6. Additional Reports. (a) Following the

submission to the President of the Strategy, and any

final strategy reports thereafter, the Chair and

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the Executive Director shall recommend to the President

updates to the Commission's mission, including desired

reports.

(b) The Commission shall not reconvene, following

submission of the Strategy, until an updated mission is

submitted to the President through the Executive

Director.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or

the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with

applicable law and subject to the availability of

appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

February 13, 2025.

[FR Doc. 2025-02871

Filed 2-18-25; 8:45 am]

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