The recent passing of an unvaccinated child amid a measles outbreak last week has brought the United State’s increasingly divisive stance on vaccinations to the forefront.
Western Texas and New Mexico are among the regions being hit hardest by the resurgence of the dangerous virus — declared eliminated in 2000 — with new infections also reported in states such as California, Georgia, and Vermont. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of March 13, there have been a total of 301 measles cases reported nationwide, with 95% of patients either unvaccinated or having an unknown vaccination status.
In a national health care landscape now headed by recently appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., health care professionals are confronting declining vaccination rates, the spread of online misinformation, and what they perceive as an insufficient federal response to a viral outbreak.
“We’re in a tough situation now. With this recent outbreak in Texas, Kennedy’s message has essentially been, ‘You can get vaccinated if you want.’ But in an area like this, where there’s a huge outbreak, we need stronger messaging,” said Dr. Roy Lin, a local general pediatrician who’s been practicing for 25 years. “People need to understand the importance of vaccination, and we need to be much firmer in communicating that.
Kennedy’s stance on vaccinations is complex: while he has vowed not to change the current vaccination guidelines and publicly claims to support them, health practitioners are calling for more vigorous efforts by the federal government to encourage vaccinations during the outbreak, especially given the proven benefits of increased vaccination for achieving “herd immunity.”
According to Lin, herd immunity or population immunity occurs when a higher number of people in a community are vaccinated, increasing immunity within the population and ultimately protecting everyone.
“What tells you that this is an effective vaccine is that we encourage families to get vaccinated — not just for their child, but for the whole community. There’s an important piece to this: the more kids vaccinated in the community, the more we can prevent the spread of measles, even for those who are unvaccinated,” Lin said.
Regarding his previous stance on inoculation, Kennedy has been associated with skepticism about vaccine safety through his past claims linking childhood vaccines to autism and his nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, which raised concerns about vaccines, particularly among groups distrustful of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“If you look at what Kennedy has said in the past as a vaccine skeptic, there’s a noticeable shift in how he’s addressing vaccines now, especially with children dying. His tone has changed, though not in a supportive way — he’s framing it more as a choice and avoiding the data that supports why vaccines are effective,” said Bryan Chiem, a pharmacist with a master’s in public health.
While there has always been pushback against vaccines, the current mistrust in the medical system is particularly tumultuous.
According to Leslie Wu, a pharmacist with four years of experience in psychiatry and transgender medicine, one of the reasons for this is the proliferation of social media and online sources, providing an abundance of information at people’s fingertips.
“I think there’s been a growing mistrust of higher education and science overall, and while there’s an overwhelming amount of information readily available, it often becomes difficult to discern what’s reliable. The challenge is distinguishing between information based on the scientific method — peer-reviewed and tested — and what’s anecdotal,” Wu said.
Rather than the gray area that has existed in the past, the result has been a growing division, with a more evident split between those firmly opposed to vaccines and those hesitant, particularly regarding the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
“When immunization rates drop, highly contagious diseases spread, putting the most vulnerable people at risk,” said Matthew Law, president of the Medical Research Club at Carlmont High School.
Despite the challenges, health care officials hold one of the most critical roles in raising awareness and educating the public about health issues.
“I think there are always reasons why people question or hesitate about what they put in their bodies, and I think it’s important to ask these questions and figure out what’s right for you,” Wu said.
As a pharmacist, Chiem believes their role is crucial in public health. He emphasizes this importance, especially when breaking down information people might encounter online.
“Pharmacists are very accessible in the communities that they work in. They can have a real conversation and meet people where they are in terms of their views. Pharmacists can provide context in terms that the public can understand more easily, unlike reading the CDC website, which may contain medical jargon that not everyone can grasp on the first read,” Chiem said.
Chiem stressed the importance of interpersonal relationships in their role, stating that pharmacists will do what they can to meet people where they are, listen to their concerns, and earn their trust.
“The most important thing for pharmacists, especially those looking to improve the health care community, is to understand the community they are working with and build trust, which goes a long way when dealing with vaccine misinformation,” Chiem said. “As much as we are people with our own political views, the majority of us try to leave that outside of our everyday practice and try to give them the most accurate information we have access to.”
As the U.S. continues to navigate its stance on vaccination in public health and the resolution of the measles outbreaks, Kennedy’s claim that vitamin A and cod liver oil are effective treatments for the viral disease raises significant concerns among health care providers.
“You need to show me that their science was proven by experimentation, specifically studying kids with measles who took vitamin A versus those who didn’t, and whether it prevents illness or complications,” Lin said. “No studies prove this, and promoting such treatments without scientific backing is irresponsible. Vaccines like the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine have been thoroughly studied since the ‘60s, with clear findings on their effects — good, bad, or helpful.”
Amid the federal government’s response to the measles outbreak, the critical distinction between rigorous scientific research and unverified theories is necessary when forming health policies — decisions that can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.
“You’re not looking at science and data. What you’re doing is relying on personal beliefs, saying, ‘I think this,’ or ‘I believe this.’ But that’s not how science and medicine work. The head of human services, our leading public health official, believes in theories without scientific basis. This is not how we should practice medicine or public health,” Lin said.
