Summary of the Executive Order
Presidential Actions
February 13
Rationale: The life expectancy in the United States has tragically fallen behind that of other developed nations. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans lived an average of 78.8 years, while comparable countries boasted an average of 82.6 years, resulting in approximately 1.25 billion years of potential life lost across the population. Alarmingly, around 60% of Americans are afflicted with at least one chronic illness, and 40% suffer from two or more. Additionally, mental illness affects about one in five adults in the country.
When compared globally, the situation becomes even more concerning. The United States reported the highest incidence rate of cancer in 2021 among 204 countries and territories, nearly doubling the rate of the next-highest country.
From 1990 to 2021, cancer rates in the U.S. surged by 88%, marking the largest increase of any nation studied. Asthma prevalence is more than double in the U.S. than in most regions of Europe, Asia, or Africa. Autism spectrum disorders showed the greatest occurrence in wealthier countries, including the U.S. Autoimmune diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis are common in high-income areas. These areas include North America and Europe. This data highlights a troubling health trajectory for Americans, demanding urgent action.
The urgency of this health crisis extends to the younger population. In 2022, around 30 million children, or 40.7%, were struggling with health issues such as allergies, asthma, or autoimmune diseases.
The incidence of autism spectrum disorder has skyrocketed to 1 in 36 children, compared to just 1 in 10,000 in the 1980s. Moreover, nearly 18% of late adolescents and young adults have fatty liver disease, close to 30% are prediabetic, and over 40% face issues with overweight or obesity.
The rise in health challenges parallels the increased use of medications. Currently, over 3.4 million children are treated for Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a rise from 3.2 million in 2019-2020, with diagnoses continuing to climb.
These trends pose a significant threat to Americans’ well-being and societal norms. A staggering 77% of young adults are disqualified from military service, largely due to health concerns. Furthermore, chronic and mental health conditions account for 90% of the nation’s annual healthcare spending, amounting to $4.5 trillion. Clearly, both the health of Americans and the nation’s stability are under considerable strain.
Addressing this escalating health crisis requires a fundamental shift in our focus, both in public and private sectors. It is essential to thoroughly understand and significantly reduce the rates of chronic diseases, particularly among children.
This entails innovative approaches to nutrition, physical activity, healthy living, and addressing dependencies on medication. Additionally, we must consider the impacts of technology, environmental factors, and the quality and safety of food and pharmaceuticals.
Promoting scientific integrity is crucial, necessitating protection from external influences and greater transparency in data sharing. Our healthcare system must prioritize health promotion rather than merely managing illnesses.
Policy Objective: The Federal Government is committed to fighting the pressing health issues our citizens face. These include rising mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
To achieve this, health-focused executive departments and agencies must prioritize reversing chronic disease trends. This involves ensuring all federally funded health research contributes to public empowerment through transparent and open-source data while eliminating conflicts of interest that compromise outcomes and undermine trust.
The Commission is tasked with submitting the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment to the President within 100 days of this order, with the report focusing on several key areas:
• A comparison of the prevalence of childhood chronic diseases in America versus other nations.
• An evaluation of the risks associated with excessive use of medications, specific food ingredients, harmful chemicals, and other influences linked to chronic inflammation and disease mechanisms, utilizing comprehensive and transparent data, including international comparisons.
• An analysis of the dangers related to prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight-loss medications to children.
• An investigation into existing Federal programs and funding aimed at preventing and treating childhood health concerns, assessing their adequacy and impact.
• Full transparency regarding current data and unpublished studies concerning the crisis of chronic diseases in children, in line with applicable laws.
• A review of how effective Federal Government metrics and data on children’s health are, including resources from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics and the National Survey of Children’s Health.
• A commitment to restoring scientific integrity by reducing undue industry influence, promoting the release of findings and supporting data as allowed by law, and enhancing methodological precision in research (Whitehouse.gov)
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