On July 18, 2025, US officials Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marco Rubio formally rejected the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations, citing concerns over national sovereignty, civil liberties, and lack of democratic oversight. The amendments would have expanded WHO authority to influence pandemic responses, enforce digital health tracking, and shape public health narratives through vague terms like “risk communication” and “equitable access.” The US argued these changes threatened constitutional rights by allowing unelected international bodies to bypass domestic law, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola of Mercola.com. Similar rejections by Italy, Austria, and Israel reflected widespread concern about global overreach into national health policy and the potential erosion of individual freedoms. Dr. Mercola writes:
When a joint statement comes from both the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of State, it’s worth paying attention. On July 18, 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marco Rubio delivered a formal rejection of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR).1
The reason? The changes would give an unelected international body the power to shape national public health decisions — including pandemic declarations, digital health documentation, and so-called “equitable access” to medical products — without democratic oversight or public debate.
This isn’t just about bureaucratic language. These amendments directly impact your right to privacy, freedom of movement, and control over your personal health decisions. […]
U.S. leaders have formally rejected WHO’s expanded authority via 2024 amendments to the IHR. These changes, according to the joint statement from Kennedy Jr. and Rubio, would have allowed the WHO to bypass American law and impose health directives, including lockdowns and vaccine documentation, without approval from Congress or the American people. […]
You’re not powerless. The laws that govern your health should come from those you elect, not those you’ve never heard of. This is your chance to defend that principle. Take the first step, and help others do the same.
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