Opinion: Attempts to distort vaccine facts are simply tragic. It must change

Hartford Courant – Thursday, September 11, 2025
By Dr. Daniel Tobin and Dr. Anthony Yoder

Dr. Daniel Tobin is the new governor of the CT Chapter of the American College of Physicians, and Dr. Anthony Yoder is the co-chair of the CTACP Health and Public Policy Committee.

As physicians, we take an oath to do no harm. This commitment comes with the responsibility to provide the best possible guidance for patients based on data-driven evidence from years of scientific research. At the front lines of clinical medicine, we make daily clinical decisions based on recommendations from the accumulated wisdom from years scientific research which is endlessly reviewed, questioned, revised, and improved by trusted experts who have committed their lives to improving the health of others. We are obligated to do what is right for our patients at every interaction, and evidence-based care is the beacon we follow.

Unfortunately, the current federal landscape evident at the recent Senate Finance Committee hearing does not adhere to this principle of evidence-based care. We feel compelled to speak out now because of the imminent risk to our patients and the country caused by the uninformed and reckless decisions of politicians. Clinical recommendations should evolve over time to reflect new scientific evidence and attempts to discredit or disrupt rigorously reviewed recommendations because they are not politically convenient or aligned with preconceived ideas are dangerous.

Trust in immunization recommendations is fundamental to their success, and this is based on the collective understanding that science will guide care, not the whims of politicians without the training or ability to understand the research behind the guidelines.

In collaboration with five other leading physician organizations who collectively represent over 500,000 physicians, our organization, the American College of Physicians, published a statement this week condemning the irreversible and harmful consequences which will result from the current upheaval at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which until now has been regarded as the world’s premier public health agency.

This reputation was earned on the backs of experts who dedicated their careers to making decisions based on scientific research and data. Yet, in short order the CDC has been placed into a state of unnecessary disarray and decay, not because of a failure of science, but rather because of a failure of government leadership to allow scientific evidence to lead the way.

We have many concerns about the dramatic negative repercussions of these actions as we approach the fall influenza and COVID season, but preventing infection, hospitalization, and death through appropriate vaccination efforts is our most immediate concern.

With the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) essentially sidelined, we now find ourselves in a leadership vacuum and faced with misinformation that frequently contradicts itself and is void of scientific basis. We have witnessed seasoned subject experts forced to leave or resign key positions and panels rather than promote false information or misguided recommendations, only to be replaced with known opponents of vaccination that cite “facts” not rooted in data and research which have appeared in official CDC documents alongside those borne from rigorous scientific investigation. This only sows the seeds of confusion and without the ongoing guidance of true experts, the problem is only going to worsen, to the detriment of everyone.

Current HHS leadership committed to respecting the scientific process during confirmation hearings. Wishful thinking, naivete, and political pressure allowed these appointments to move forward. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that the testimony of current HHS leadership was hollow and untrue and continues to be so in recent statements. Belief without scientific evidence is religion, not science, and must not be the guiding principle of our public health system. People will die, and those with serious medical conditions who survive may suffer preventable hospitalizations with avoidable complications and long-term effects.

Individuals should be encouraged to receive vaccines if they want or need them, and vaccines should be readily available. Vaccines have a proven record of substantial benefit without significant risk of harm and are effective at preventing disease and death. Attempts to distort these facts are simply tragic. Some claim that vaccine access remains unfettered, but our experiences have proven otherwise. We have seen patients turned away from pharmacies unable to receive a needed vaccine, and we have witnessed an explosion of confusion and chaos. The negligence, harm, and misinformation espoused by those in charge of what was formerly the world’s leading public health agency is unforgiveable and terrifying. Reversing this course requires change from the top, and expert recommendations based on science should unequivocally guide recommendations. The lives of our families, friends, neighbors, and patients depend on it.

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