Anti-Vaccine Moms Rethinking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Some mothers who once strongly opposed vaccines are now reconsidering the ideas promoted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“He was a major factor in why I became anti-vax,” Heather Simpson, who has an eight-year-old daughter, reflected. In 2016, while looking into healthy pregnancy options, she stumbled upon the anti-vaccine movement, largely inspired by the docuseries The Truth About Vaccines, which featured RFK Jr., the founder of Children’s Health Defense.
Simpson recalled her initial thoughts: “I thought, if a Kennedy is urging caution, there must be something to it.”
Children’s Health Defense has gained notoriety as a leading source of misinformation regarding vaccines, creating widespread confusion globally.
Over the years, the organization has filed several lawsuits against vaccine policies, including a notable loss in New York regarding school vaccine mandates after a measles outbreak.
Simpson became deeply involved in the anti-vaccine community, even dressing as a measles virus for Halloween. Tragically, after the first measles-related death in over twenty years, anti-vaccine advocates reinterpreted this event to discourage vaccination against the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Dr. Leslie Treece from Cookeville Pediatric Associates in Tennessee noted an uptick in vaccine refusals due to misinformation. However, she believes there will be a significant shift back towards vaccination as outbreaks increase.
In 2020, with the onset of the pandemic, Simpson began to support mask-wearing and sought advice from a specialist regarding her anti-vaccine beliefs. When the specialist dispelled a myth about vaccine emulsifiers causing brain issues, Simpson found herself questioning her earlier stance.
“I thought, what if I’m completely wrong?” she admitted. This moment led her to co-found Back to the Vax, a group and podcast with fellow mother Lydia Greene, who also shifted her views on vaccination.
Greene, who describes herself as a “crunchy mom,” previously embraced holistic parenting. She mentioned that now, with the anti-vaccine movement gaining traction, it’s become less intimidating for people to share their opinions.
Since RFK Jr. took on the role of Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, he has enacted several controversial changes, including altering vaccine eligibility rules and reducing funding for certain vaccine development projects.
Despite claims that he isn’t pulling vaccines from individuals, public health officials worry that his mixed messaging could lead to a decline in vaccination rates.
Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, highlighted that the misinformation from this administration may confuse parents, ultimately resulting in reduced vaccination.
“The only real change will happen when children begin to suffer severe effects, like brain damage or even death, from vaccine-preventable diseases,” Greene warned.
In 2025, the U.S. reported an alarming increase in measles cases—the highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000— with the CDC confirming three deaths.
Greene concluded with a note of regret, reflecting, “It feels like a kind of karmic justice that I wished this would happen when I was anti-vax, and now witnessing the fallout, it’s a disaster that brings about some guilt.”
