Reveal How RFK Jr. is Dismantling America’s Health Policies
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Mar 11, 2026 Jessica Malaty Rivera, infectious disease epidemiologist and science communicator, breaks down threats to public health leadership. She discusses RFK Jr.’s reshaping of vaccine advisory panels and CDC/NIH staffing, the risk of measles resurgence and losing elimination status, Big Ag’s role in new dietary guidelines, and how policy shifts could harm preparedness and trust in health institutions.
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Vaccine Advisory Committee Replaced With Contrarians
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced expert vaccine advisors with long-standing vaccine contrarians on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
- Jessica Malaty Rivera notes the committee now lacks experts who review clinical vaccine data, shifting recommendations toward biased perspectives.
Measles Elimination Status At Risk
- Measles outbreaks are growing, with an epicenter in South Carolina and risk of losing U.S. measles elimination status due to persistent transmission.
- Rivera links this to declining vaccination norms and framing vaccines as optional, increasing spillover to Canada.
Polio Eradication Threatened By Vaccine Doubt
- Kurt Milhoun questioned the need for the polio vaccine, reflecting a broader administration skepticism toward longstanding vaccines.
- Rivera warns this undermines eradication efforts when polio is close to being wiped out globally.