Slate Daily Feed What Next | The Year of Vaccine Backsliding
Dec 4, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Dr. Paul Offit, a prominent pediatrician and vaccine advocate, delves into the shocking changes within the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. He expresses grave concerns about the decline in expertise among members and shares his experience of being removed from an FDA advisory panel. Offit critiques misleading CDC language on vaccines and autism, highlights the rise in vaccine-preventable deaths, and emphasizes the need for proactive public engagement. He urges parents to seek reliable vaccine information and discusses the broader implications of public distrust in health policies.
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Anti-Vaccine Advocacy Became Policy
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointment shifted anti-vaccine activism from the sidelines into policymaking.
- That change makes institutional pushback harder and raises real risks for public health.
Fear Silences Public Health Voices
- Many agency staffers fear retaliation under the current administration and are reluctant to speak out.
- Offit argues this climate stifles necessary public dissent and weakens institutional response.
'Ruled Out' Is A Misleading Standard
- Saying studies didn't 'rule out' vaccines causes misleading doubt because you can rarely prove a universal negative.
- Offit emphasizes many large studies show no link between MMR and autism despite that logical nuance.