If you’ve been wondering who is most concerned about the prospect of RFK Jr. becoming secretary of Health and Human Services, look no further than your friendly neighborhood pediatrician. Behind our smiles and calm exteriors we are deeply troubled. We have seen firsthand the damage that RFK Jr.’s disinformation has caused, and we fear the catastrophic impact he would have on children’s health in this country.
Pediatricians find ourselves on the front lines of the battle against vaccine misinformation. We help parents navigate the various stages of childhood. We assess developmental milestones, offer guidance through serious illnesses, order tests and provide safety recommendations. However, immunization is perhaps the single most impactful thing we do as pediatricians, and vaccines are surely one of mankind’s most consequential modern achievements.
Yet we increasingly find that while parents trust us to help their child breathe during an asthma attack and identify and treat the cause of a high fever causing their baby to cry inconsolably, a growing number of parents reject our recommendations and dismiss our expertise when it comes to vaccination.
Pediatricians understand the anxiety of parents who want only to do what is best for their children. We spend hours correcting misinformation and patiently trying to address vaccine concerns arising from false claims parents have encountered. We refute the myths that MMR vaccines, thimerosal or aluminum cause autism — repeatedly debunked theories that RFK Jr. has peddled.
We explain how the immune systems of infants are fully capable of receiving multiple vaccines and why our ability to protect today’s children from many more diseases than we could just a generation ago through vaccination is something to be celebrated rather than denounced.
The science has overwhelmingly proven time and again that vaccines are the best way to protect children from diseases and keep them healthy.
When prominent figures like RFK Jr. who question scientific facts have their opinions spread insidiously on social media through memes and sound bytes, seeds of doubt are planted that grow into vaccine hesitancy. All too often, by the time an infant or young child comes to our offices for their well care visit, the damage has already been done and no amount of factual information or legitimate sources will change a parent’s mind.
Vaccines save tens of thousands of children’s lives every year in the United States. Among children born in the past 30 years, routine childhood vaccines have prevented an estimated 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.1 million deaths.
Vaccines are victims of their own success, with adverse outcomes from the diseases they prevent exceedingly rare today. Because of this, many parents have little understanding of the dire consequences vaccines prevent, not just for their own children but for immunocompromised children and for susceptible infants who have not yet been completely vaccinated and protected.
As vaccine hesitancy spreads, as states allow for religious or philosophical vaccine exemptions, and as vaccine mandates are removed, more unvaccinated children have become susceptible. This has led to a concerning rise of measles and pertussis outbreaks which have sickened babies and children. These outbreaks were completely preventable and the disinformation spread by the likes of RFK Jr. was entirely responsible.
While some senators have signaled a willingness to consider RFK Jr. for HHS secretary because of his intentions to explore food additive use, they must understand that his stance on vaccination is disqualifying for a position holding ultimate oversight over U.S. vaccination programs.
President Trump has stated that while “certain vaccines are incredible, maybe some aren’t.” and that combination vaccines can cause babies to “change radically” and that RFK Jr. will “look into it”. After meeting with RFK Jr., Sen. Tommy Tuberville stated that babies get too many vaccines over a short period and that RFK “is totally against that.”
RFK Jr.’s nomination is dangerous in and of itself, let alone if he is confirmed or enacts detrimental policies. It has provided perceived credibility and a louder pulpit to a man whose words and actions have put children’s lives at risk.
Political leaders have a responsibility to enact policies that protect the public health of our country, particularly its youngest and most vulnerable citizens. Our nation’s pediatricians implore senators to do the right thing and keep America’s children healthy by demanding leaders who understand the critical importance of vaccination. Our children and their health and well being must not fall victim to political partisanship.
Meltzer Krief is on the executive council and legislative advocacy co-chair of N.Y.’s Chapter 2 of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
