RFK Jr. unveils campaign to boost wearable health devices By HPN Staff Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced one of the largest advertising campaigns in HHS history. The goal: encourage Americans to use wearable health devices like heart rate monitors and glucose trackers. Kennedy said he wants every American to be wearing one within four years. He described wearables as tools that help people see how food, exercise, and lifestyle choices affect their bodies in real time. Kennedy also highlighted that wearables are much cheaper than some prescription drugs, like Ozempic, which costs about $1,300 a month. Wearables can cost around $80. The department is working to make these devices more affordable and accessible. Why it matters Wearables put health data directly in people’s hands. Proponents of the devices say this can empower individuals to take control of chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity. The campaign aligns with Kennedy’s MAHA agenda — Making America Healthy Again — which focuses on prevention over medication. The announcement had an immediate market impact. Shares of continuous glucose monitor makers Abbott and Dexcom jumped after Kennedy’s remarks. But wearables face significant challenges. Devices intended for medical use require FDA approval, which complicates regulation. Many wearables on the market are marketed for general wellness and do not meet that bar. Privacy concerns loom large. Wearables collect sensitive health information that can be shared with third-party apps, raising data protection questions. Integrating wearable data into healthcare is another obstacle. There is no consistent system for adding this data to medical records, limiting its value for doctors. Interoperability between devices and providers remains a work in progress. The bigger picture Kennedy’s campaign highlights growing federal interest in digital health. The FDA has created three regulatory classes of wearables based on “the level of control necessary to assure the safety and effectiveness of the device.” The FDA says Class I with general control includes devices with the lowest risk posed to the patient, while Class III has the highest risk. The National Institute of Health suggests more clinical trials be performed on wearable devices, and says, “Wearable technologies are promising and have the potential to fundamentally change healthcare and drug development by changing the means of collecting, processing and visualizing health data.” However, the NIH notes that currently there is a lot of “enthusiasm” about the devices, but more studies are needed to “displace hype” and adopt scientific methodologies.
