The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and allied organizations are supporting “a wave of anti-science bills” in state legislatures across the US – and some of the organisations may be profiting from their MAHA advocacy, The Associated Press reported.

During the current legislative session, lawmakers have introduced more than 420 bills that “strip away public health protections,” including measures that target vaccines, milk safety and fluoride, according to the AP’s four reports, published on Monday.

The bills, which the AP said stem from “conspiracy-driven ideas,” are supported by Trump administration officials, including US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, whom the AP accused of “elevating anti-science ideas nationally.”

Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defence (CHD), told The Defender that the AP’s characterisation of these bills as “anti-science” is irresponsible. She said:

“AP irresponsibly characterizes anything that does not track the ‘scientific consensuses as ‘anti-science.’ Science only develops by challenging consensus and dogma and marshalling empirical evidence to support the claims.

“AP parrots corporate science as if it were true, without checking or comparing the evidence of new claims against those of the so-called consensus. AP has devolved into pure propaganda.”

The AP said several organisations “connected to Kennedy,” including CHD, support these state-level legislative efforts. State legislatures have enacted or adopted about 30 of the bills in 12 states.

According to the AP reports, some people and organisations associated with the MAHA movement are “finding ways to benefit” from the policies they support.

“Powerful anti-vaccine advocates and people selling potentially harmful goods are profiting from the push to write anti-science policies into law,” the AP reported, adding that MAHA is “fuelled by a web of well-funded national groups led by people who’ve profited from sowing distrust of medicine and science.”

Sayer Ji, chairman of the Global Wellness Forum and founder of GreenMedInfo, called the claims “another projection.” He said:

“The real profiteers are found in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, which pour billions into lobbying, PR and media sponsorship to maintain their dominance.

“What’s missing from AP’s reporting is any honest accounting of that influence or of the devastating consequences of the policies it defends – from chronic disease epidemics to mental health crises.”

The AP reports don’t mention Big Pharma’s role in political lobbying.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry is the leading lobbying industry in the US, spending $293.7 million in 2024 – over $100 million more than the second-highest industry, according to the data-gathering platform Statista.

An AP disclaimer beneath its reports states that its Health and Science Department “receives support” from organisations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is one of the funders of the George Soros-linked Big Cities Health Coalition. In an open letter on Monday, the coalition accused federal officials of driving down vaccination rates and fuelling an increase in dangerous infectious disease outbreaks. It urged the public to “get vaccinated.”

According to AP, reporters reviewed 2025 legislation in all 50 states, focusing on bills related to vaccines, fluoride and raw unpasteurised milk. They analysed each bill to see whether it undermined science-based health protections and to determine whether MAHA-aligned organisations supported or opposed it.

The analysis found “anti-science” bills in 43 state legislatures in 2025. Among them, the “anti-vaccine bills” – totalling 350 – were by far the most common. Though most of these have not yet passed, “at least 26 anti-vaccine” laws have been adopted “11 states this year.”

Florida psychotherapist Joseph Sansone, proposed the Sansone mRNA Bioweapons Prohibition Act, which would outlaw mRNA vaccines. The bill was introduced in Minnesota, but Sansone is trying to present it in every state. He disagreed with the AP’s assessment that questioning mRNA vaccine safety is “anti-science.”

“These injections have no prophylactic benefit, and in fact have a negative effectiveness and the risks outweigh the benefits. The reality is that most people will have a shortened lifespan because of these injections,” Sansone said.

Heather Hudson, whose son sustained terminal vaccine injuries in 2021, advocated in favour of Cody’s Law – Florida legislation that would expedite the process for vaccine injury claims under the Medicare, Medicaid and Medicaid Medically Needy programmes. Hudson called the AP’s reporting “politically focused.” She said:

“When a pharmaceutical product or vaccine injures a loved one, the science behind the injury cannot be undone just because certain politically focused media outlets like the AP do not want the discovery of these injuries investigated and documented.

“These laws are proposed and enacted to protect innocent or unsuspecting consumers. It requires a complete investigation of the need for passing such laws instead of branding them ‘anti-science’ because the gatekeepers don’t approve of the ‘language.’”

Hudson said Cody’s Law has “evolved from the proposed state law … into a joint effort between state and federal organisations and politicians working together … to bring a national solution for the severely vaccine-injured to get medical care at the time of injury.” She said this effort has received “critical support” from lawmakers.

Barbara Loe Fisher, president and co-founder of the National Vaccine Information Centre, said she is “disappointed there wasn’t more thought put into trying to understand the perspective of the vaccine-injured and those who have a history of vaccine reactions” in the AP’s reports.

Fisher said prevalent vaccine injuries are “one big reason why there is an accelerated push to end vaccine mandates” through the legislative process. She said most vaccine-related bills proposed in the states during the current legislative session focus “on protecting informed consent rights when it comes to vaccination.”

“These bills are all efforts to make things right, not steer things in the wrong direction,” said Steve Kirsch, founder of the Vaccine Safety Research Foundation.

Kirsch said he invited AP reporters Michelle R. Smith and Laura Ungar – who co-authored the articles – to talk with him about vaccine safety, but that he did not expect a response. In an email shared with The Defender, Kirsch told the reporters he believed they were “mischaracterising these bills.”

• A Tell Media report / By Michael Nevradakis, a senior reporter for The Defender and host of The Defender In-Depth television show.