How Washington state’s health secretary is preparing for likely massive shift in federal health policy under RFK Jr.

Washington State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said his agency would continue promoting vaccinations as the best defense against the spread of infectious disease as medical and public health experts worry about President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Shah participated in a brief question-and-answer session Monday with The Spokesman-Review. His answers were edited for brevity.

Q: Since the election earlier this month, there has been a lot of talk of changes in health policy at the federal level. How is the Department of Health preparing for the incoming administration?

A: Just as everybody else, we’re following what’s occurring in terms of announcements of both potential cabinet members and changes that may be happing at the federal level. We are continuing to focus on our mission at our state agency along with our governor’s office and all state partners.

All the work that we do continues to be important. I would say it is absolutely critical we continue to focus on people’s health and well-being across all communities across our great state.

Q: Kennedy is known for many controversial views on public health. Are you concerned by his nomination?

A: We have to remember the appointment is the beginning of a process, and we don’t know at the beginning of that process how things are going to turn out.

There certainly are some comments that have been made by him that have been concerning from a public health standpoint, particularly related to vaccines.

We want to stay focused on not just what we are hearing in the news, but recognizing ultimately what happens during the (confirmation) process, what we hear from the process and from him. It is not just the information we’re hearing, but seeing how policies may or may not shift. Ultimately, it’s not until you see how that plays out that you can make a determination on next steps.

Q: Kennedy is a longtime critic of vaccination. If the federal government moves to restrict or discourage the use of vaccines the Washington state Department of Health considers safe, will the department still recommend residents be vaccinated? What could the federal government do to hamper the state’s effort to vaccinate the public?

A: We have to remember that public health has been a longstanding field that has helped advance the longevity and health of Americans across the decades. That includes sanitation efforts, raising awareness of health issues and vaccines. That long-standing tradition is based on evidence. It is based on science. We want to make sure we do everything we can to promote that in our state.

Certainly we don’t know what is going to happen at the federal level. A lot remains to be seen. We want to make sure we give good, clear information to community members and community members can make the right choices to advance their health and well-being.

Our federal partners throughout the time I’ve been in public health are, by and large, always trying to do the right thing. We may not always agree on how or what they do, but they try to do the right thing. Our approach is to follow the science.

Q: With the possibility of medical misinformation coming from the federal government, what would the Department of Health do to counteract such misinformation and ensure Washingtonians get correct information about their health?

A: We do not see as many cases of measles anymore. Polio is either eradicated or rare, depending on where you are in the world. Every year, we have the ability to protect our seniors because of flu shots. There’s so many reasons that we want to continue to advance the knowledge that vaccines are safe and important.

But we don’t know what the shifts will be. There are always comments people make at the beginning of processes we are concerned by. But does that individual continue with that? Does the administration?

We’re mindful of it. We’re monitoring it. We’re careful of it. We are ready for it. But at the same time, we have to see it play out. So I want to be careful we don’t prematurely move in a direction until we know what’s happening.

Q: Kennedy has also been a critic of what he calls the “industrial food supply” and has claimed environmental toxins in food cause chronic childhood illness. What do you make of these concerns? Is this something that should be addressed by the federal government or the state?

A: The one thing I want to say as we move forward is the importance of chronic diseases in the health and wellbeing of our community. One of the reasons we launched our Be Well WA initiative was because we know it is important to be thinking about health and wellness. I would recommend your readers go to bewellwa.org to learn more about that program.

But we have to continue to look at what the causes are of the increase of chronic disease, whether that is related to issues of movement or nourishment or our spiritual or emotional health. We have to look at all of those and think about the things we need to do to prevent those conditions.

More than any one position that a cabinet pick might have, I am really interested in how we can work together. Public health is inherently political, but it doesn’t have to be partisan.

Q: Kennedy has said he will fire hundreds to thousands of employees at the FDA, CDC and National Institutes of Health. What does the Department of Health rely on from these federal agencies that could be disrupted in this process?

A: It is yet to be seen how that will play out. But I will tell you there are really good people doing good work at all levels of government. There is always room for new ideas and efficiencies, but we also have to recognize these federal agencies support the work that’s happening in our state and across states.

If we’re looking at cuts that are across the board just for the purpose of making cuts, I don’t think that is a good strategy. It has to be thoughtful about the end goal. If the goal is to improve health and well-being of communities, that is different than making cuts just for the purpose of cuts.

Q: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?

A: We continue to follow the science. It is important for us to remember there are going to be a number of ideas and comments. We must make sure to distinguish rhetoric and talk from action and policies.