Debate heats up as vaccination rates decline among children

Political debate over vaccines heats up as rates of vaccination continue to decline

What you probably already know: The incoming administration has put childhood vaccines in the spotlight, falsely suggesting they hurt babies more than they benefit them, and that they should be investigated for potentially causing autism. These claims are not new — dozens of studies have been done to show that childhood vaccines do not cause autism — but the concept drums up such fear that no study can ever be enough to convince many people. That makes it a powerful political tool, and one the Trump administration seems inclined to use. Trump has nominated Robert Kennedy Jr. — who has spoken publicly about his skepticism around vaccines and is already calling for the FDA to rescind its approval of the polio vaccine — for the top health official in the county, which likely means this will be a hot topic next year.

Why? The fraudulent connection between vaccines and autism started in 1998 when a former British doctor published an article in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, where he falsely tied the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine to autism. The paper was later retracted and the doctor, Andrew Wakefield, was de-licensed. The damage, however, had already been done and measles began spreading in the U.K., killing several people and sickening tens of thousands. This was the first but not the last time this issue arose. It has also led to widespread distrust of vaccines, which we saw play out during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What it means: The Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and UNICEF say that immunization is the most cost-effective public health interventions in the world and has averted approximately 4.4 million deaths every year. Yet, despite that, only 76% of U.S. children have received all their recommended vaccinations by the time they turn 3. Some of those vaccines are not required by schools, and about 93% of kindergarteners have all the state-required vaccines by the time they enter school. Childhood vaccination rates have declined in recent years as skepticism and misinformation continue to spread.

What happens now? Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell on Monday stated his support for the polio vaccine and suggested a petition to end its approval would jeopardize Kennedy’s confirmation to be the health secretary. McConnell is himself a survivor of polio. “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed — they’re dangerous,” he said. This is one of those issues that may not split down party lines and could pull some on the far left to Kennedy and Trump’s side should it come to a vote.