Eva Deschamps / October 12, 2025
U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that the U.S. would oppose a World Health Organization (WHO) statement on chronic diseases, arguing that it defended abortion and a “radical gender ideology”.
The Minister was speaking at a United Nations meeting, on the sidelines of its General Assembly, on “the prevention and control of chronic diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being”. He felt that the declaration also ignored “the most urgent health problems”, without specifying what these were.
The 15-page text, consulted by AFP, makes no mention of abortion rights or gender ideology. Despite opposition from the United States, the WHO declaration is expected to be approved by a majority of the organization's 193 member states in October.
The United Nations and its agencies are in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump, who initiated the process to leave the WHO as soon as he returned to the White House.
After strongly advising against the use of paracetamol by pregnant women on Monday, linking it to a high risk of autism in children despite medical advice to the contrary, and casting unfounded discredit on vaccines, President Donald Trump drew a denial from the WHO.
"We know that vaccines save lives. Vaccines do not cause autism," said Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesman for the UN agency.
"They have saved countless lives. This is something that science has proven," he added, calling on leaders to follow the recommendations of health authorities.