RFK Jr. has appointed several prominent vaccine critics to a key committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This decision comes just a month after the entire previous panel was jettisoned. It has sparked serious conversations about how we should move forward with public health guidance in America.
Among those appointed is Dr. Martin Kulldorff, the biostatistician and epidemiologist who was once to be dismissed from Harvard Medical School. Kulldorff has been vocal in his criticisms of Harvard’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic, expressing concerns over the institution’s approach to public health policy during this critical period.
Dr. Michael A. Ross joins the committee. In addition, he is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at George Washington University and Virginia Commonwealth University. His vast experience on women’s reproductive health could be an asset in ongoing health policy debates before the committee.
Dr. James Pagano, MD, FACEP, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician. He has participated on many hospital committees and will add his great deal of clinical experience to the panel. His background in emergency medicine is expected to be vital as the committee addresses urgent health issues facing the nation.
Another important appointee is Dr. Joseph R. Hibbeln. He is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, and former chief of the Nutritional Neurosciences section at the National Institutes of Health. Hibbeln’s pioneering work in nutritional science could help shape efforts to inform the public about dietary changes that promote not just physical health but mental well-being.
A new kind of expert—Dr. Robert Malone unhinged. His significant contributions to the development of mRNA vaccines is a claim he makes that is now leading him to a new appointment. Malone has since morphed into a star of the anti-vaccine movement. Measles deaths, he said, were the result of medical mismanagement rather than vaccine refusal.
Retsef Levi is a professor of operations management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His deep understanding of food supply chain analytics makes him an incredible asset to our team. His insights might become critically needed as we face growing public health threats from unsafe food and inequitable food distribution.
Dr. Cody Meissner is a professor of pediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He is the last member appointed to this brand new committee. Since vaccine policies have a dramatic effect on pediatric health issues, his focus on such issues should help highlight harmful vaccination policies targeting children.
These two appointments have caused quite the stir among public health experts as well as critics of the Trump Administration’s approach to public health. Our friend Dr. Paul Offit warned that this could end up chilling public health advice like so,
“I think the public is not going to be getting the same quality of advice as we had before the purge.” – Dr. Paul Offit
As this newly formed committee prepares to tackle pressing health issues, many are left questioning how its direction will influence CDC recommendations and public perception of vaccinations and other health initiatives. The ongoing debate highlights the challenges inherent in formulating vaccination policy and navigating its impact on broader public health in America.
“These are highly credentialed scientists, leading public-health experts, and some of America’s most accomplished physicians.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
As this newly formed committee prepares to tackle pressing health issues, many are left questioning how its direction will influence CDC recommendations and public perception of vaccinations and other health initiatives. The ongoing debate underscores the complexities surrounding vaccination policies and their implications for public health in America.