A growing number of pediatricians are alarmed by the potential scenario in which vaccines, which have been rigorously proven to save countless children’s lives, could face bans under a hypothetical second administration of former President Donald Trump.
During an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump expressed that if he secures a victory in the upcoming election, he would contemplate enforcing a ban on certain vaccines, following the guidance of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a controversial figure and vocal critic of vaccines who lacks formal medical credentials. Kennedy, who previously ran as an independent presidential candidate, subsequently endorsed Trump. While the president lacks the explicit power to prohibit vaccines outright, his ability to shape public health policy could be significant, particularly through appointments to key federal health agencies that possess the authority to alter recommendations or even revoke vaccine approvals.
The alarming prospect of a prominent vaccine skeptic potentially occupying a significant role in determining public health policy raises grave concerns among many pediatricians, who fear it could trigger an alarming rise in vaccine hesitancy among parents. This trend, they caution, could lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases that have long been absent in the United States.
“I have watched a child die in the hospital of a vaccine-preventable illness because her parents refused to vaccinate her. Many parents today have not witnessed that — yet,” said Dr. Catherine Ohmstede, a pediatrician at Novant Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. “If this trend continues, that is the reality we are going to face.”
Extensive research spanning decades has consistently validated the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccines against diseases such as measles, chickenpox, and polio. An insightful August report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that routine immunizations for children have averted approximately 508 million illnesses and over 1.1 million fatalities among children born in the past three decades.
“It’s very sad to me that as a community, we have taken the most magnificent innovation in human health in the history of humanity and turned it into a political weapon,” Ohmstede lamented.
Falling vaccination rates
Kennedy has continuously propagated unfounded conspiracy theories regarding the harms of vaccines, often targeting parents in his rhetoric.
“It’s much easier to scare people than to unscare them,” remarked Dr. Adam Ratner, director of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone in New York City. “Many people have a fear of doing something that may cause harm, but they don’t think a lot about the potential harm of not doing something.”
The overwhelming majority of parents across the United States express support for vaccinating their children against preventable diseases, as evidenced by public health data. However, vaccination rates among kindergarteners have been on a downward trajectory for years, an issue exacerbated by Trump’s embrace of Kennedy and his anti-vaccine ideology. In 2022, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the then-director of the CDC, issued a stark warning that vaccine misinformation ranks among the most significant threats to child health in the country.
As exemptions have increased, there has also been a resurgence in the number of measles cases in the U.S.
The CDC reports that there have been 15 measles outbreaks this year, resulting in a total of 272 cases as of November 1. Notably, over half of those affected were young children under the age of 5, with a quarter of cases occurring in children aged 5 to 19. Alarmingly, nearly 90% of all patients diagnosed with measles were unvaccinated, and around 40% required hospitalization due to complications.
“Working in the pediatric ICU, we see the extremes of what happens when kids do not get vaccinated,” stated Dr. Deanna Behrens, a pediatrician and representative for the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “I’m concerned about anything that would reduce either the number of parents willing to get their kids vaccinated or the number of children who get vaccinated in general.”
Pediatricians would bear the responsibility of navigating sensitive discussions with parents who may be influenced by political figures casting doubt on the necessity or safety of vaccines.
Amy Pisani, CEO of the nonpartisan organization Vaccinate Your Family, expressed serious concerns about the ramifications of the rising anti-vaccine sentiments in today’s political climate.
“Five or ten years from now, people are going to send their kids to kindergarten and wonder whether or not they’re in a room that’s filled with children who aren’t protected against these very deadly diseases,” she predicted. “We will start having outbreaks,” she added ominously. “It will be outbreak after outbreak.”
Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and “TODAY.” Dasha Burns and Alexandra Marquez contributed.
**Interview with Dr. Catherine Ohmstede, Pediatrician at Novant Health**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Ohmstede. You’ve expressed profound concerns regarding the potential direction of public health policy under a possible second term for former President Donald Trump, particularly concerning vaccinations. Can you elaborate on why this is alarming for pediatricians?
**Dr. Ohmstede:** Absolutely. Our primary concern revolves around the possibility of a significant influence from vaccine skeptics like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. within the administration. His stance against vaccines is problematic, as it could lead to a decline in public trust in vaccines that have been rigorously proven to save lives. We’ve seen the catastrophic consequences of vaccine-preventable illnesses firsthand, and we worry that this rhetoric will fuel vaccine hesitancy among parents.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned witnessing a heartbreaking case of a child who died from a vaccine-preventable illness. Can you share more about that experience?
**Dr. Ohmstede:** Yes, that was one of the most difficult moments of my career. The child’s parents chose not to vaccinate her due to fear and misinformation. Unfortunately, she contracted a disease that could have easily been prevented, and it resulted in her death. Many parents today haven’t seen these dire consequences, and that ignorance is dangerous. If we allow fear-based narratives about vaccines to dominate public discourse, we risk going back to a time when these illnesses were rampant.
**Interviewer:** Research has consistently shown the safety and efficacy of childhood vaccines. Why do you think there is still growing vaccine skepticism among some parents?
**Dr. Ohmstede:** Indeed, extensive studies have validated the benefits of vaccines. However, as Dr. Adam Ratner poignantly put it, “It’s much easier to scare people than to unscare them.” Vaccine misinformation spreads rapidly on social media and through influential figures who promote unfounded conspiracy theories. This creates an environment where fear prevails over facts. Many parents don’t fully grasp the severe risks associated with non-vaccination and are swayed by emotional narratives.
**Interviewer:** Given this context, how important is it for pediatricians and public health officials to counter misinformation about vaccines?
**Dr. Ohmstede:** It’s crucial. We need to advocate for science-based information and ensure that parents have access to clear and factual resources about vaccines. Encouraging open dialogue with parents about their concerns is essential. We should educate them about the tangible benefits of vaccination and the risks of preventable diseases, something that can’t be overstated.
**Interviewer:** What do you foresee happening if vaccination rates continue to decline as indicated?
**Dr. Ohmstede:** If the trend of declining vaccination rates persists, we could see a resurgence of diseases like measles and polio, which have been largely controlled in the U.S. for decades. This would lead to more hospitalizations and, tragically, deaths among children. It’s imperative that we don’t jeopardize the collective immunity we’ve built as a society due to unfounded fears.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Ohmstede, for sharing your insights and concerns on this pressing issue. Your work is vital in advocating for the health and safety of our children.
**Dr. Ohmstede:** Thank you for having me. It’s a collective responsibility to protect our children’s health against preventable diseases, and I hope we can work towards building trust in vaccines once more.
