[elgenie]

Appointing a know-nothing conspiracy theorist doesn't have that exact issue, yes … but in a way where the cure is significantly worse than the disease.

You can cultivate state capacity and independent expertise to reduce regulatory capture, not replace it with a kakistocracy where regulatory capture is instead by woo-woo morons.

[ekianjo]

> but in a way where the cure is significantly worse than the disease.

Since the US has by far the sickest human population on Earth (it's not even debatable), I guess the current system has been a spectacular failure. I don't think that RFK is the right answer either, but "continuing on the same path as before" is a bad idea just as well.

> independent expertise to reduce regulatory capture

What is independent expertise exactly? Where do you find virgin experts completely devoid of external influence? I have yet to meet any expert who has never had grants or speaker engagements.

[ben_w]

> Since the US has by far the sickest human population on Earth (it's not even debatable), I guess the current system has been a spectacular failure

I suspect everyone affected by the sub-Saharan AIDS epidemic would disagree very strongly, even despite the improvements over the last 20 years.

More generally, the US may be an outlier among industrialised nations, but the floor for health in general is much lower than the USA.

This also means you have a long way further to fall if you allow incompetent leadership.

[tombert]

> Since the US has by far the sickest human population on Earth (it's not even debatable)

I am having trouble finding evidence for this claim that you said is “not debatable”. I found some articles that the US is the sickest in the developed world, but that’s pretty different than “sickest human population on earth”.

[sjsdaiuasgdia]

So instead we should listen to the "health influencers" that surround people like RFK Jr?

Are they independent?

[tombert]

While I would agree with your overall synopsis, RFK Jr. actually has some conflicts of interest with regards to the anti-vax stuff. He directly profits from anti-vax lawsuits, and if he's in charge of the CDC and FDA he has the motivation to try and publish fake reports from (previously) respected departments.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/01/22/nx...