Protecting Modern History’s Most Crucial Advancement for Kids: Vaccines
A Looming Crisis in Public Health
America is facing an all-hands-on-deck crisis. Parents, grandparents, pediatricians, educators, and anyone who cares about kids and public health – we need your attention now.
Immediately after his inauguration, Donald Trump signed an executive order pulling the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). He has also nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services, a man with an extensive history of spreading misinformation about vaccines for his own political and monetary gain. This week his confirmation hearings begin in the US Senate. Just over a month ago Trump publicly stated he was having discussions with RFK Jr. about ending federal childhood vaccine programs, including vaccine mandates for public schools. This reckless proposal threatens one of modern medicine’s greatest achievements: vaccines.
The Immense Life-Saving Power of Vaccines
Vaccines are nothing short of a miracle. They save millions of lives each year. Diseases that once were the leading killers of young children in America and around the world – such as measles, polio, and diphtheria – are now so rare that, as a practicing pediatrician, I have never encountered a single case.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, routine childhood vaccines save up to 5 million lives annually. These figures don’t account for the countless survivors who avoid debilitating complications and disabilities thanks to immunizations.
Take the measles vaccine, part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine: it is estimated to have saved 23 million lives in the past 20 years alone, roughly equal to the population of Florida. Yet, this critical vaccine is squarely in RFK Jr.’s crosshairs.
The Dangers of Misinformation
RFK Jr. is not a well-meaning skeptic. As a pediatrician, I understand that many parents approach vaccines with skepticism, largely because of rampant misinformation. These parents, however, are motivated by a desire to protect their children. RFK Jr., on the other hand, has shown he is willing to spread falsehoods with devastating consequences.
One glaring example is the 2018 measles outbreak in American Samoa. RFK Jr. visited the island, spreading misinformation about vaccines. When an outbreak began merely months later, he doubled down, sending a four-page letter to the governor falsely claiming the MMR vaccine was responsible. This was despite clear public health guidance that widespread vaccination was urgently needed to curb the outbreak.
The result? Over 300 children required intensive care, and 83 died. RFK Jr. dismissed the tragedy as “minor.” In reality, there is no such thing as a minor outbreak of measles when a population is undervaccinated. Measles spreads like wildfire, with the average infected individual capable of infecting 12-18 others. For reference, the average person infected with COVID-19 only infects 1-3 other people.
We Cannot Risk the Health of Our Children
This is the man Trump would put in charge of America’s vaccine policy. The potential consequences of giving RFK Jr. and Trump control over public health are clear: more outbreaks, more hospitalizations, and more preventable deaths.
We cannot allow them to gamble with our children’s lives.
Take Action!
We must protect the progress vaccines have made in public health. Here’s how you can help:
Contact Your U.S. Senators: Urge them to oppose any efforts to undermine vaccine programs and to support public health initiatives, and specifically ask them to oppose RFK Jr’s appointment as HHS secretary.
Support Pro-Public Health Leaders: Vote for politicians who prioritize evidence-based policies that keep kids safe. Right now in America, that seems to be Democrats… but not all Democrats.
Combat Misinformation: When you encounter vaccine misinformation in your daily life, speak up with facts and compassion. Use evidence, take deep breaths, walk away when you must.
Vaccines save lives. It’s up to all of us to ensure they remain a cornerstone of public health.