"Common anti-vaccine talking points were on display as the CDC’s immunization advisers repealed a hepatitis B birth vaccine recommendation and scrutinized the childhood schedule."
"ATLANTA — For decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has fought attempts by the anti-vaccine movement to sow doubts in the safety and efficacy of the shots that marked a triumph of public health. This week, the agency instead provided a powerful platform for the cause.
Common anti-vaccine talking points were on display in presentations and discussions during a two-day meeting of federal immunization advisers at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. It culminated Friday with the end of a long-standing recommendation for every newborn to receive a hepatitis B vaccine and President Donald Trump directing a broader probe into whether American children receive too many shots.
One panel member likened taking vaccines to flying on an airplane that hadn’t been sufficiently safety tested. One speaker incorrectly cited a study about the level of protection afforded by the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine. Multiple panelists questioned whether immigrants were to blame for the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses, with one calling it “the elephant in the room.”
An outspoken attorney for the anti-vaccine movement — whose law firm has filed numerous vaccine-related lawsuits — delivered a jargon-laden presentation for more than 90 minutes about the history of childhood immunization and accused the CDC of recommending shots with insufficient research on potential harms."
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"States Are Forming “Health Alliances.” Can They Make a Difference for Public Health Policy?" (KFF)
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