This year, over 420 anti-science measures targeting established public health regulations—concerning vaccinations, milk safety, and fluoride—have been presented in state legislatures across the U.S., reflecting a well-organized campaign aimed at embedding conspiracy-driven ideologies into law.
According to an Associated Press investigation, this surge in legislation is prevalent in nearly every state, predominantly influenced by affiliates of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The movement threatens to dismantle century-old public health safeguards crucial for American society. To date, approximately 30 bills have been approved in 12 states.
Activists are being guided by Trump administration officials to advocate for anti-science legislation in states, where public health governance is traditionally established, with aspirations of instigating nationwide changes in laws and public perception.
This initiative gives credibility to beliefs stemming from the anti-vaccine movement that Kennedy has been associated with for years. His Make America Healthy Again strategy disguises anti-science notions while endorsing objectives such as promoting natural food and reducing chemical exposure. Meanwhile, vaccination rates are declining, enabling comebacks of infectious diseases like measles and whooping cough as Kennedy pushes for a sweeping overhaul of federal health policies concerning vaccinations and fluoride.
While Kennedy’s supporters argue that their agenda is neither anti-science nor rooted in conspiracy theory, many experts hold a different view.
“The rising acceptance of conspiracy-laden thinking from fringe groups has now become a guiding force in public policy, serving as an urgent warning for Americans,” declared Devin Burghart, president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, who has monitored the anti-vaccine movement for years. “People will inevitably suffer due to this trend.”
Ashlee and Erik Dahlberg, residents of Lowell, Indiana, lost their son, Liam, aged 8, to a preventable illness linked to vaccinations last April.
“I believed that vaccines would shield our children from harm,” Erik Dahlberg reflected. “Sadly, that protection failed because vaccinations must encompass other children and adults to be effective.”
Liam was especially vulnerable due to his severe asthma and allergies. He received the vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b, or Hib, yet tragically, the disease caused his brain to swell, leading to his death less than 48 hours after he first reported a headache. Doctors indicated that his illness likely originated from an unvaccinated individual, as Ashlee Dahlberg described.
With two additional children, the Dahlbergs are concerned about residing in a community where low immunization rates prevail. Local data reveals that one out of five kindergartners in their district fail to fulfill vaccination requirements.
“There’s no grief greater than losing a child,” stated Ashlee Dahlberg, who carries an urn with Liam’s ashes during family camping trips to ensure he remains included. “I cannot endure, nor will I, the pain of losing another child.”
Numerous Anti-Vaccine Measures
The Dahlbergs and many others are contending with a formidable anti-science movement framing their agenda as “health freedom,” while negating proven health practices. Experts assert that global vaccination initiatives have saved over 150 million lives since 1974, cavities have decreased significantly since community water fluoridation began in 1945, and milk pasteurization has spared millions from foodborne illnesses.
Despite these achievements, activists peddle false conspiracy theories, some of which have persisted for decades, claiming that safe vaccines maim or kill numerous individuals, that fluoride is utilized as a method to poison citizens, or that pasteurization diminishes milk’s nutritional value—primarily aiding the dairy industry.
In its examination of recent legislation, the AP concentrated on three public health policies, all backed by substantial medical evidence and targeted by the Make America Healthy Again campaign. AP reviewed 2025 legislation from every state, scrutinizing over 1,000 bills gathered by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the bill-tracking software Plural, to ascertain any that compromised science-based health protections.
Anti-vaccine measures comprised a significant percentage, with 350 bills regarded as the predominant focus. These bills approach the topic from various perspectives: prohibiting discrimination against unvaccinated individuals, designating vaccine harm as a criminal offense, imposing testing requirements for blood banks concerning vaccinations, and establishing a 48-hour waiting period for vaccinations.
Legislators acknowledge seeking inspiration from bills passed in other states: several span locations discussing mRNA vaccines, recognized for their role in saving countless lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two Minnesota bills falsely classify them as “weapons of mass destruction.”
As vaccines grew more politicized during the pandemic, notably extreme legislation regarding vaccinations has gained traction, stated Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC Law San Francisco.
“In uncertain times, conspiracy theories gain more traction,” Reiss added.
Although many of these bills fail to become law—some have been rejected, while others are still pending—at least 26 anti-vaccine measures, including a proposed constitutional amendment and a resolution, have either passed or been enacted in 11 states this year.
A majority of these bills received backing from at least one of four national organizations associated with Kennedy: MAHA Action, Stand for Health Freedom, the National Vaccine Information Center, and the Weston A. Price Foundation.
These groups have also opposed numerous science-supportive initiatives, including one focused on tightening rabies vaccine regulations for pets.
A network of connections exists among these organizations and Kennedy himself. Friends and associates manage MAHA Action, including his long-standing book publisher, Tony Lyons, and former campaign aide Del Bigtree. Stand for Health Freedom was co-founded by Sayer Ji, who currently advises the organization and volunteers with MAHA Action.
The group Kennedy previously led, Children’s Health Defense, has sponsored conferences hosted by NVIC and Weston Price, while Kennedy has frequently spoken at events for both organizations. Following Kennedy’s removal of members from the federal committee advising on vaccinations, he appointed NVIC’s research director to a new position on the committee.
While these groups do not always share goals or coordinate endeavors, they sometimes unite. NVIC, Stand for Health Freedom, and Weston Price collaborated on a comprehensive June letter directed to President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, urging the federal government to remain uninvolved in state-level public health lawmaking, including concerning religious exemptions for vaccinations.
Anti-vaccine advocates have discerned a shift in favor of anti-science legislation and have experienced a reversal of circumstances: NVIC reported opposing six times as many bills as it supported in 2015. Last year, however, it supported over twice the bills it opposed.
In an email to AP, NVIC leader Barbara Loe Fisher characterized the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as excessively forceful but acknowledged it transformed perspectives in state legislatures, where “lawmakers recognized the threat to personal liberty posed by vaccine mandates in a new light.”
She indicated that mandatory vaccination is poor public health policy.
The organizations monitored by AP actively disseminate alerts, organize phone campaigns, inundate lawmakers’ inboxes and social media platforms, facilitate nationwide Zoom meetings for activists, and send members to provide testimony at statehouses.
Lyons asserted the purpose of these calls is educational. He objected to terms like anti-science and conspiracy theories, proclaiming, “These labels are merely inflammatory terms designed to mislead the public into thinking something nefarious is occurring.”
The actions of these organizations signify the increasing influence of the small anti-vaccine movement, remarked Northe Saunders, president of American Families for Vaccines. Advocates now have the capability to financially support candidates and champion anti-vaccine figures, utilizing legislative tactics to delay certain bills and propel others through legislative hurdles.
“They have evolved into a sophisticated political entity, far beyond a handful of parents opposed to vaccinating their children,” Saunders explained.
In Indiana, Republican Rep. Bruce Borders initiated two bills at the behest of Hoosiers for Medical Liberty. One bill would permit individuals to refuse employer vaccine mandates, while another would mandate that vaccine manufacturers conduct specific safety assessments.
Borders, who operates an insurance firm and moonlights as an Elvis impersonator, expresses concern for his grandson, whom he believes experienced autism onset post-vaccination—despite the lack of credible scientific evidence supporting that claim.
He contends these bills are not anti-science and affirms his respect for medical professionals but opines that certain medical issues must undergo thorough examination.
“I’ve conducted extensive research on this topic due to my grandson,” Borders stated. “I would assert that my inquiry matches that of many healthcare professionals.”
Other Anti-Science Legislation
Individuals are often led to anti-science beliefs through indirect routes, Reiss noted. A person may initially engage with the MAHA movement due to genuine dietary concerns, only to be confronted with theories suggesting dark forces are conspiring to maintain public illness.
“Misinformation spreads like a contagion,” she observed.
The correlation between conspiracy-driven ideas can be seen in various bills backed by constituents aligned with MAHA’s popularity. Both MAHA Action and Stand for Health Freedom showed support for initiatives aimed at banning fluoride in drinking water. Similarly, Stand for Health Freedom and Weston Price jointly opposed a North Carolina bill perceived as threatening raw milk commerce.
Their assertions frequently rest on the principle of naturally achieving health. Stand for Health Freedom, which did not respond to AP’s inquiries, urged its followers, “Water should hydrate, not medicate,” while advocating against fluoridation. Weston Price campaigns for raw milk, branding it “real milk,” while their website includes unsupported assertions about potential asthma, allergy, and eczema relief.
AP’s investigation uncovered over 70 bills seeking to retract fluoride access or facilitate raw milk sale and consumption. Numerous fluoride bills would outright ban its inclusion in water supplies. One in Pennsylvania was termed the “Fluoride Choice Act” by its sponsor, who argued that individuals should have the autonomy to make informed health choices through alternatives like fluoride supplements or topical treatments.
For raw milk, some bills would expand sales beyond farm limits in Arkansas, legalize its sale in Hawaii, and permit Oklahoma farms to vend raw donkey milk.
Sally Fallon Morell, president of Weston Price, advocated for raw milk, asserting it has significant benefits and minimal risks, disputing claims that these beliefs amount to conspiracies. While she referenced research endorsing raw milk’s advantages, experts caution that establishing direct correlations is challenging. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that pasteurized milk provides equivalent nutritional benefits without associated hazards.
In contrast, raw milk continues to be linked with outbreaks, one in Florida recently causing 21 infections in August.
In response, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo expressed his support for individuals choosing to consume raw milk due to perceived benefits.
“Floridians are entitled to make informed health choices,” he wrote on social media.
Other anti-science sentiments are proliferating in Florida as well.
This year, Florida and Utah both prohibited fluoride in public drinking water. Experts emphasize that fluoride not only combats tooth decay but also aids in preventing other health problems, even related to cardiac issues.
A coalition encompassed MAHA Action, Stand for Health Freedom, and Children’s Health Defense, gathering support for multiple bills aimed at vaccines, fluoride, and more under the MAHA agenda. They organized transportation to bring constituents to the Capitol for a legislative day.
MAHA Action has hosted frequent Zoom discussions since summer, showcasing Trump administration officials and Kennedy advisors stressing the significance of advancing MAHA objectives at the state level. Obtained Zoom conversations reveal activists seeking talking points and connections with local affiliates.
Kennedy’s deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, emphasized to activists on one call the urgency to “get activated” in state governance: “This is where we can genuinely effectuate changes and witness federal legislation unfold.” A spokesperson for Kennedy and the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment to AP regarding this matter.
On a related call, Ji celebrated the passage of a new Florida statute categorizing “geoengineering” as a felony. Its sponsor clarified that the bill is a response to constituents’ fears regarding chemtrails, referring to a conspiracy theory alleging that condensation trails left by aircraft are in actuality chemicals being dispersed into the atmosphere.
Ji maintained to AP that the legislation embodies legitimate public concerns, dismissing the notion that it could be cynically deemed a “conspiracy theory.”
“The positions I advocate on issues such as fluoride, vaccines, and environmental health are grounded in reputable scientific literature and uphold the public’s right to make informed choices,” Ji stated in an email.
On a national scale, Kennedy is amplifying anti-science perspectives. This past spring, a wellness figure even showcased a video of Kennedy consuming raw milk with him at the White House.
Shortly thereafter, Emily Marris’ toddler, Brooklyn, experienced hospitalization and narrowly escaped death after consuming raw milk.
The Southern California mother recounted researching online, becoming involved in a homesteader Facebook group and purchasing fresh goat’s milk from a seller advertising it as “clean and tested.” The sale of raw milk is legally permitted in California.
Ultimately, Brooklyn suffered severe health consequences, requiring dialysis and ventilation, and enduring three cardiac events before showing signs of recovery. She now copes with high blood pressure and displays a limp when walking.
Marris argues that increasing access to raw milk could lead other well-meaning parents, like herself, to make unsafe choices for their children while believing they are making beneficial health decisions.
“You’ll have an average mom like me who believes she’s done her due diligence and hopes to help her baby, ultimately putting them at risk instead,” she lamented.
The Implications
Legislators advocating for science-based policies express concern that public welfare is often neglected in these discussions.
Rep. Andy Vargas, a Democrat from Massachusetts, has been championing legislation since 2019 aimed at abolishing religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations. Despite high immunization rates in Massachusetts, Vargas noted that many districts have lost herd immunity against measles.
Individuals engaging in public life bear responsibilities to their communities, he believes. “This is simply an aspect of the social contract,” he stated.
In Indiana, Democratic State Rep. Maureen Bauer of South Bend voiced that such issues are frequently misrepresented as battles for parental rights and personal freedoms.
“When your personal choice endangers others, it ceases to be merely personal,” she emphasized. “Your decisions affect the liberties of those around you.”
Ashlee Dahlberg remarked that this includes her son, Liam. While it remains uncertain who he contracted the virus from, studies indicate unvaccinated individuals are more likely to carry Hib and propagate the disease. Severe cases declined over 99% following the federal recommendation for the vaccine in 1991.
In recent years, however, overall vaccination rates have slid dramatically.
After Liam’s passing, the Dahlbergs discovered significant variance in vaccination regulations by state. Although Hib vaccinations are suggested, they are not obligatory for entering pre-kindergarten in Indiana; contrastingly, they are mandated in Illinois, which is merely a ten-minute drive from their home. Almost every state, including Indiana, permits parents to exempt their children from vaccine requirements for non-medical reasons, including religious beliefs.
Fueled by their grief, Ashlee initiated a change.org petition advocating for the elimination of religious concessions in public school systems nationwide. While the majority of feedback has been supportive, they have encountered harsh criticisms, including statements like: “Your son deserved to die.”
Nonetheless, Dahlberg conveyed, “I seek to connect with those parents who are undecided on vaccinations.”
The Dahlbergs feel an urgency to safeguard their two surviving children from vaccine-preventable diseases since their faith in governmental protection has eroded.
The family has pondered the option of homeschooling their 6-year-old Ava and 11-year-old Khloe. In the meantime, they have arranged with Ava’s school to ensure that all students in her class are vaccinated. Like her brother, she suffers from severe asthma. Consequently, she wears a mask in shared spaces such as hallways and on school buses.
On the inaugural day of school, Dahlberg called Ava to the kitchen to use her inhaler twice before ushering the girls outside for first-day photos. They walked past a collection of tributes commemorating Liam—his handprint, a photograph of him with his dirt bike, and a cast of his hand in his mother’s.
The girls held a photo of their brother as they posed under a blooming crabapple tree planted in his memory.
Just before the bus arrived, Ava broke her mask, rushed inside for a replacement, and Dahlberg instructed, “You must wear that on the bus. Do not remove it.”
Finally, Bus 21 approached their street. As Ava climbed aboard, her mother sent her a worried farewell wave.
— Michelle R. Smith and Laura Ungar
