Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the new head of the US Department of Health and Human Services, launching a new era in US health policy after the one-time presidential hopeful openly questioned the safety of widely used vaccines and promised to remove artificial food dyes from America’s food supply.

The Senate voted on Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health and Human Services secretary, a victory for President Donald Trump after Kennedy faced intense scrutiny over his controversial views on vaccines and public health policy.

The longtime vaccine skeptic and "MAHA" movement leader was confirmed earlier Thursday in a near-party line Senate vote.