IDSA Condemns White House’s Order to Weaken CDC Vaccine Promotion
The leaders of the Arlington, Va.-based Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) on Feb. 21 protested changes that the Trump White House is demanding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The IDSA released a statement from Tina Tan, M.D., the association’s president, condemning the White House’s order to the CDC to end the promotion of vaccination.
Dr. Tan stated that “Reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been ordered to shelve some public promotion of vaccines, including information encouraging people to get vaccinated against flu, leaves Americans with fewer tools to make critical decisions in consultation with their doctors to protect themselves and their families. Postponing a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices delays vital discussions and needed decisions on a variety of vaccines by trusted and well-vetted experts. ACIP relies on a well-established, transparent and evidence-based process for evaluating the optimal use of vaccines that plays a critical role in strengthening public health,” she insisted.
Further, Dr. Tan said, “Taken together, these actions run completely counter to the spirit of the commitments Secretary Kennedy made to uphold ACIP and continue disseminating credible, scientifically based vaccine information through federal government websites and communications. Congress must hold Secretary Kennedy accountable for these actions. Weakening our nation’s vaccine infrastructure will lead to significantly lower immunization rates and result in many more outbreaks of serious, preventable hospitalizations and deaths. Vaccines are our absolute best defense for protecting people of all ages against many serious infectious diseases. The benefits of vaccines overwhelmingly outweigh risks. Vaccines save lives, and we must continue to use them to protect all people.”
As noted on its website, “The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is a community of over 13,000 physicians, scientists and public health experts who specialize in infectious diseases. Our mission is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases.”
