Stand Up! with Pete Dominick 1538 Dr Peter Hotez on the state of Vaccination in America
13 snips
Feb 19, 2026 
Peter J. Hotez, physician-scientist and vaccine expert who leads the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. He discusses measles outbreaks and threats to elimination. He criticizes federal guidance failures and regulatory reversals. He warns about anti‑science attacks, cuts to NIH/global health, and the resulting brain drain and security risks.
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Personal Journey From Vaccine Maker To Defender
- Hotez recounts meeting Jonas Salk and wanting to be a vaccine maker early in his career.
- His daughter Rachel's autism led him to publicly defend vaccines and write a book opposing anti-vaccine claims.
Wellness Industry Fuels Modern Anti‑Vaccine Push
- Anti-vaccine rhetoric now blends old talking points with wellness-influencer business tactics.
- That industry profits by repackaging cheap drugs and monetizing telehealth, incentivizing disinformation.
Regulatory Chaos Risks Vaccine Innovation
- FDA's refusal then reversal on reviewing Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine reflects politicized, chaotic decision-making.
- Such disruptions threaten vaccine innovation and preparedness for future epidemics.
