"A Recipe for the Complete Dismantling of Our Informed Democracy"

Three Things Thursday

Three Things Thursday highlights three things I am paying attention to as an epidemiologist each week. There has been a constant flow of news this week. Measles cases continue to increase; new research shows that measles could become endemic (commonly occurring) in the US if vaccination rates continue to decline. Whooping cough cases (aka pertussis), another vaccine-preventable disease, are also surging as a result of declining vaccination rates. And this is all happening as RFK Jr promises to Make America Healthy Again simply by removing artificial dyes from foods and drinks and getting rid of seed oils (which RFK Jr INCORRECTLY stated are poisoning Americans unknowingly).¹ He is ignoring the fact that 14 million American children live in homes that are food insecure (meaning they do not have enough food to meet basic nutritional needs).

These events, plus the three discussed below — the increase in health misinformation, the elimination of public health programs & preventive measures, and the end of the Women’s Health Study — are putting all of our lives at risk.

Staying informed has to be a priority.

We cannot let misinformation spread. We cannot allow those who are scientifically illiterate to deny scientific truths. We need to realize that the work we have ahead of us is life or death (literally). As Neil deGrasse Tyson frames it (in 2017) —

“When you have people who don’t know much about science, standing in denial of it, and rising to power, that is a recipe for the complete dismantling of our informed democracy.”

Staying informed has to be a priority, as is working toward increasing scientific literacy and fighting misinformation.

Hoping this post helps to educate and empower you
to be healthy and create healthy communities.

False Information About Measles is Spreading

Yesterday, the Kaiser Family Foundation released the results of a poll that focused on the current measles outbreak (with more than 800 confirmed cases) and misinformation. They found that about half of adults and parents were “somewhat worried” about the current measles outbreak. Black and Hispanic adults were more concerned than white adults. Democrats are MUCH more worried about the measles outbreak compared to Republicans (76% vs 28%). Similarly, 31% of Republican parents reported that they lack confidence in the safety of the MMR vaccine. Alarmingly, 17% of the Republican parents group reported that they are “not at all confident” that the MMR vaccine is safe.

Approximately 35% of Republicans answering the survey, which was conducted April 8-15, said the FALSE link between the MMR vaccine and autism was definitely or probably true, compared with just 10% of Democrats.

According to Ashley Kirzinger, associate director of KFF’s Public Opinion and Survey Research Program —

“The most alarming thing about the survey is that we’re seeing an uptick in the share of people who have heard these claims. It’s not that more people are believing the autism theory, but more and more people are hearing about it, that shows how important it is for actual information to be part of the media landscape.”

This is the result of putting an individual in a position of power with an agenda. RFK Jr is scientifically illiterate, he fails to listen to others, and he thrives in a space where there is misinformation. He needs to be fact-checked continuously and relentlessly.

And he is just MEAN.

We cannot just let misinformation slide under the rug.

We need to speak out and against it —

The MMR vaccine is safe & effective.

Elimination of Programs & Preventive Measures

Yesterday, MedPage reported that RFK Jr is considering removing the COVID vaccine from the list of recommended immunizations for children. While removal of the vaccine from the list would not prohibit children from getting the vaccine, it could/will influence vaccination procedures. Physicians rely on the immunization schedule (i.e., the list of recommended immunizations) to determine which vaccines children should receive and when; removal of the COVID vaccine from the list would remove the recommendation to physicians. Plus, insurance companies use the list of recommended immunizations to determine which vaccines to cover; the vaccine may only be available for those who can afford to pay for their children to be vaccinated out of pocket.

Additionally, on Tuesday, the FDA suspended its milk quality testing program as a result of governmental workforce reductions. This means that the milk and dairy supply in the US is no longer being tested for H5N1 or pathogens (like a parasite called Cyclospora). In talking with MSNBC, Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, stated —

“This is a huge step backward for food safety.”

And if that wasn’t enough… as a result of the mass layoffs at HHS, the individuals who coordinate the US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use have been fired. This group of individuals reported on the safety of contraceptives and provided clinicians with information to ensure they make appropriate, evidence-based recommendations to their patients. According to MedPage —

Women’s Health Initiative Losing All Federal Funding

As we lose access to up-to-date research and recommendations on contraceptives, all federal funding for the Women’s Health Initiative — a landmark research study that has been ongoing since 1991 — will be cut in September.

According to one of the researchers, speaking with STATNews —

“No study is a better example of the enormous scientific impact of research on the prevention of chronic disease in the population, one of the stated priorities of the HHS leadership. The disruption of the WHI research program will lead to incalculable losses to scientific discovery and human health.”

This comes on the heels of evidence that maternal mortality in the US is increasing.

Additional data out this week shows that mothers living in states that banned abortion (post-Dobbs) are nearly two times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or soon after giving birth compared to mothers living in states where abortions are legal and accessible.

If you are not paying attention to the conversations regarding DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) cuts by the Trump Administration, this is your call to action.

Cuts to DEI hurt women.

If you are a woman, if you are raising one, if you love one, you need to know about these cuts and understand the repercussions.

Eliminating funding for research, ignoring the increasing maternal mortality rate in the US, and recognizing that abortion bans result in deaths (of mothers who are having babies — these are NOT mothers having an abortion) need to be recognized.

“The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one.”

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Epi(demiology) Matters is written by Dr. Becky Dawson, PhD MPH — an epidemiologist, teacher, mom, wife, and dedicated yogi. She is a tenured professor at Allegheny College, Research Director at a community hospital, and an exclusive contributor (all things health & medicine) at Erie News Now (NBC/CBS). Her goal is to create healthy communities for all. She writes Epi Matters — first & foremost because epidemiology does matter (to all of us) and she hopes that each post will help to educate and empower readers to be healthy and create healthy communities.

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1. Seed oils are not poisonous; in fact, there is strong evidence that they are associated with reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. That said, from a health perspective, we do need to make improvements to our diets. Focusing on a single ingredient, such as oil, is NOT the answer to our nutritional problems. If you want to learn more about a comprehensive change to nutrition in America, I encourage you to check out the Food Is Medicine initiative.