Analysis
The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sparked a global debate online when he announced on June 9 that he removed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee. The official claimed that childhood vaccines, including polio vaccines, have not been properly tested and insinuated that current polio vaccines are unsafe because they were grown in “monkey cells.” A self-described conspiracy theorist celebrated the secretary’s statement as the “truth” about childhood vaccines “finally coming out.” Another social media user called for “anti-vax” advisors to be added to the panel, which critics say the health secretary did on June 11. Public health and vaccine experts criticize the panel’s removal as “reckless,” emphasizing that, until now, CDC vaccine advisory members were selected based on their expertise.
Recommendations
Misleading and false claims from high-ranking health officials may weaken public confidence in vaccine safety. Health communicators may highlight that countries worldwide, including the U.S., have systems in place to ensure that all approved vaccines are safe and effective. Debunking messaging may explain that polio vaccines are safe, as proven by the fact that billions of children have been vaccinated safely for decades and multiple generations.