UPDATE: In a shocking revelation, a public health expert from the Trump administration has suggested allowing the potentially deadly measles virus to spread among the population to gauge its impact. Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist and newly appointed chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, made these controversial comments during a recent episode of the podcast “Why Should I Trust You?”
Milhoan’s remarks have ignited fierce backlash, particularly from the academic community. He questioned the necessity of vaccines for diseases like measles and polio, citing changes in sanitation and disease risk since the 1960s. “As you look at polio, we need to not be afraid to consider that we are in a different time now than we were then,” Milhoan stated, emphasizing that advancements in sanitation might reduce risks associated with these diseases.
However, his assertion that current outbreaks could help determine the real risks of measles has drawn outrage. “What we’re going to have is a real-world experience of when unvaccinated people get measles,” Milhoan argued. “What is the new incidence of hospitalization? What’s the incidence of death?”
This suggestion has left many experts, including Harvard professor Joseph Allen, flabbergasted. Allen, who leads the university’s healthy buildings program, criticized Milhoan’s comments as reckless. “This is an insane quote from the ‘top CDC vaccine expert’ who seems to want to run a measles experiment on our kids,” he declared, highlighting the potential dangers of such a proposal.
The implications of Milhoan’s statements are profound, especially as measles transmission rates in the U.S. have recently surged to levels not seen since the early 1990s. While polio remains a threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the notion of allowing a preventable disease like measles to spread raises urgent public health concerns.
As this story develops, experts are calling for immediate clarification from the CDC on their official stance regarding vaccinations. The potential for a resurgence of measles cases looms large, and the public’s response to Milhoan’s comments is likely to influence the ongoing debate over vaccine policies.
Stay tuned for updates as this situation unfolds, and consider the significant health impacts on children and families across the nation. The conversation around vaccinations has never been more critical.
