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Vaccines Are Not Public Health: An Open Message to RFK Jr.By Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D. Editorial NoteWith the recent appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services, a historic opportunity emerges to redefine public health policy. In this open message, OMNS Editor-in-Chief Richard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., urges Secretary Kennedy to move beyond the vaccine-centric paradigm and embrace a terrain-based approach rooted in immune resilience, nutritional sufficiency, detoxification, and metabolic health. In integrative and orthomolecular medicine, the "terrain" refers to the body's internal biochemical environment-its nutrient status, redox balance, metabolic function, and immune readiness. Strengthening this terrain is the foundation of lasting, non-pharmaceutical health. 🔑 Key Points at a Glance
A Pivotal Moment for Public HealthRobert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) marks a rare and historic opportunity to reshape American and global public health. For decades, Kennedy has championed vaccine safety, exposed regulatory corruption, and advocated for medical freedom. As a clinician and long-time advocate of orthomolecular and nutrition-based medicine, I applaud his courage. But now, standing at the helm of the system he once critiqued, the challenge-and opportunity-is far greater. The focus must shift. The vaccine safety debate is not enough. Vaccines were never the foundation of public health- and they should not become its future. The Trap: Vaccine-Centric ThinkingThe current model is narrow, reactive, and dependent on an endless pipeline of pathogen-specific products. It does not build health, nor does it address the root question: Why are people so vulnerable to infections in the first place? By staying within the "safe vaccine" framework, even reformers risk reinforcing the flawed idea that health comes from a syringe. That is not prevention. That is dependency. "He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious." - Sun Tzu It is time to fight where we are strongest-on the terrain of true, lasting health. The Real Foundation of Immunity: The Terrain ApproachImmunity is not built in a lab-it is built from the inside out. In terrain-based medicine, the terrain refers to the body's internal biochemical environment: its nutritional status, detoxification capacity, mitochondrial function, redox balance, and immune readiness. When this terrain is strong, infections rarely take hold. When it is compromised, even minor pathogens can trigger severe disease. Key components include:
Vaccines as One Tool-Not the Whole ToolboxVaccines have a place-but they must never be the entire strategy. Their pathogen-specific, lag-time-dependent nature makes them fundamentally limited. In contrast, terrain-based interventions, grounded in natural biochemistry, are universally protective, require no waiting, and carry minimal risk. The real question should be: Can the human body recover naturally if given proper support? In most cases, the answer is yes. The Failure of Reactionary PolicyVaccines are inherently reactionary. Development, testing, and deployment all take time-often too much time. COVID-19 proved this. "Speed is the essence of war." - Sun Tzu By the time vaccines were widely available, the virus had already mutated and spread. Meanwhile, those with strong innate immunity-particularly high vitamin D levels and metabolic health-fared far better (10,24). Yet public health ignored terrain and censored clinicians using vitamin C, D, and zinc. The result? Preventable deaths. COVID-19 Should Have Been a Wake-Up Call From the earliest data, it was clear: Metabolic dysfunction, low vitamin D, and chronic inflammation were key risk factors (8,9,25). Yet governments pushed masks, lockdowns, and experimental vaccines-while suppressing orthomolecular medicine. Many clinicians-and myself included-published early alerts calling for orthomolecular interventions, only to face censorship and intimidation despite evidence-based intentions (7,26,27). These therapies were-and remain-safe, effective, and scalable. The failure to deploy them was not just oversight. It was public health malpractice. A Call to Secretary Kennedy and HHSMr. Kennedy, your appointment is not just symbolic-it's strategic. Don't stop at safer vaccines. Build a stronger population. Please consider these actions:
Conclusion: Rebuilding Health from the Inside OutMr. Kennedy, you have the courage, the credibility, and now the office to lead a real revolution in public health.
"The greatest victory is that which requires no battle." - Sun Tzu This is not just a better strategy- It is the future of health. About the AuthorRichard Z. Cheng, M.D., Ph.D. - Editor-in-Chief, Orthomolecular Medicine News Service Dr. Cheng is a U.S.-based, NIH-trained, board-certified physician specializing in integrative cancer therapy, orthomolecular medicine, and anti-aging medicine. He maintains active practices in both the United States and China. A Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and Hall of Fame inductee of the International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine, Dr. Cheng is a leading advocate for nutrition-based, root-cause health strategies. He serves as an expert reviewer for the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners and co-founded both the China Low Carb Medicine Alliance and the Society of International Metabolic Oncology. 📰 Follow his latest insights: https://substack.com/@rzchengmd References1. Calder PC, Carr AC, Gombart AF, Eggersdorfer M. Optimal Nutritional Status for a Well-Functioning Immune System Is an Important Factor to Protect against Viral Infections. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 23;12(4):1181. 2. Ali N. Role of vitamin D in preventing of COVID-19 infection, progression and severity. J Infect Public Health. 2020 Oct;13(10):1373-80. 3. Grant WB, Baggerly CA, Lahore H. Reply: "Vitamin D Supplementation in Influenza and COVID-19 Infections. Comment on: Evidence That Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths Nutrients 2020, 12(4), 988." Nutrients. 2020 June 1;12(6):1620. 4. Grant WB, Wimalawansa SJ, Pludowski P, Cheng RZ. Vitamin D: Evidence-Based Health Benefits and Recommendations for Population Guidelines. Nutrients. 2025 Jan;17(2):277. 5. Carr AC, Maggini S. Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017 Nov 3;9(11):1211. 6. Gombart AF, Pierre A, Maggini S. A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System-Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients. 2020 Jan;12(1):236. 7. Cheng, Richard Z. Can early and high intravenous dose of vitamin C prevent and treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Medicine in Drug Discovery. 2020 Mar 1;5:100028. 8. Brugliera L, Spina A, Castellazzi P, Cimino P, Arcuri P, Negro A, et al. Nutritional management of COVID-19 patients in a rehabilitation unit. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020 June;74(6):860-3. 9. Mitchell F. Vitamin-D and COVID-19: do deficient risk a poorer outcome? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2020 July;8(7):570. 10. Fernández-Quintela A, Milton-Laskibar I, Trepiana J, Gómez-Zorita S, Kajarabille N, Léniz A, et al. Key Aspects in Nutritional Management of COVID-19 Patients. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020 Aug;9(8):2589. 11. Spotlight on UPFs: NIH explores link between ultra-processed foods and heart disease | NHLBI, NIH [Internet]. 2025 [cited 2025 July 24]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2025/spotlight-upfs-nih-explores-link-between-ultra-processed-foods-and-heart-disease 12. Cordain L, Eaton SB, Sebastian A, Mann N, Lindeberg S, Watkins BA, et al. Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Feb;81(2):341-54. 13. Rondinella D, Raoul PC, Valeriani E, Venturini I, Cintoni M, Severino A, et al. The Detrimental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Human Gut Microbiome and Gut Barrier. Nutrients. 2025 Feb 28;17(5):859. 14. Tristan Asensi M, Napoletano A, Sofi F, Dinu M. Low-Grade Inflammation and Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption: A Review. Nutrients. 2023 Mar 22;15(6):1546. 15. Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, Ashtree DN, McGuinness AJ, Gauci S, et al. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ. 2024 Feb 28;384:e077310. 16. Sawalha K, Tripathi V, Alkhatib D, Alalawi L, Mahmood A, Alexander T. Our Hidden Enemy: Ultra-Processed Foods, Inflammation, and the Battle for Heart Health. Cureus. 2023 Oct;15(10):e47484. 17. Zheng K, Zeng Z, Tian Q, Huang J, Zhong Q, Huo X. Epidemiological evidence for the effect of environmental heavy metal exposure on the immune system in children. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Apr 10;868:161691. 18. Jomova K, Alomar SY, Nepovimova E, Kuca K, Valko M. Heavy metals: toxicity and human health effects. Arch Toxicol. 2025 Jan;99(1):153-209. 19. Adegoke EO, Rahman MS, Park YJ, Kim YJ, Pang MG. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Infectious Diseases: From Endocrine Disruption to Immunosuppression. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 11;22(8):3939. 20. Marroqui L, Tudurí E, Alonso-Magdalena P, Quesada I, Nadal Á, Dos Santos RS. Mitochondria as target of endocrine-disrupting chemicals: implications for type 2 diabetes. J Endocrinol. 2018 Nov 1;239(2):R27-45. 21. Irwin MR. Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective. Annu Rev Psychol. 2015 Jan 3;66:143-72. 22. Shanghai Government Officially Recommends Vitamin C for COVID-19 [Internet]. [cited 2020 Aug 3]. Available from: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v16n16.shtml 23. Jonathan. High Dose Vitamin C and Influenza: A Case Report [Internet]. ISOM. [cited 2025 July 24]. Available from: https://isom.ca/article/high-dose-vitamin-c-influenza-case-report/ 24. Wimalawansa SJ. Unlocking insights: Navigating COVID-19 challenges and Emulating future pandemic Resilience strategies with strengthening natural immunity. Heliyon. 2024 Aug 15;10(15):e34691. 25. Biesalski HK. Vitamin D deficiency and co-morbidities in COVID-19 patients - A fatal relationship? NFS J. 2020 Aug;20:10-21. 26. Cheng RZ. From Censorship to Recognition: Orthomolecular Medicine Going Mainstream [Internet]. From Censorship to Recognition: Orthomolecular Medicine Going Mainstream. 2025. Available from: https://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v21n40.shtml 27. Richard Z. Cheng. Protected Population Immunity, Not A Vaccine, Is The Way To Stop Covid-19 Pandemic. J Clin Immunol Immunother. 2020 June 30;6(2):1-4. Orthomolecular MedicineOrthomolecular medicine uses safe, effective nutritional therapy to fight illness. For more information: http://www.orthomolecular.org Find a DoctorTo locate an orthomolecular physician near you: http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v06n09.shtml The peer-reviewed Orthomolecular Medicine News Service is a non-profit and non-commercial informational resource. Editorial Review Board:
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