Is Dave Weldon the best candidate to lead CDC?

The US is confronted with several outbreaks of infectious diseases. The outbreak of measles started quietly in Texas last month. Since that time it has grown quickly and now there are two dead and almost 200 cases in the region. Most infections are with non -vaccinated children. Cases have spread to New Mexico and spread cases occur in various other states, from Washington and California to Pennsylvania and the east coast.

At the same time, we see emerging cases of bird flu H5N1 that decimate poultry farms and seriously influence dairy farms. More infected mammals are identified, whereby the spread to cats is of particular importance. We have identified 70 human cases and one death in the US.

This has been a bad flu season. Cases remain high and the “CDC estimates that there has been at least 40 million diseases, 520,000 hospital admissionsAnd so far 22,000 dead due to flu this season. Sixteen more children died of flu this week and this season marked 114 deaths in pediatric flu.

Although the COVID-19 Pandemie was explained, it doesn’t make it true. It is clear that we still have many people (over thousand a week Just in January). This week, two infectious disease modelers, JP Weiland and Michael whoreer estimate, each in 1 in 110 people are probably actively contagious and that there are around 310,000 new infections/day.

Robert J. Kennedy, Jr. was recently appointed head of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, despite its history of strong opposition against vaccines and promoting incorrect information about vaccine. This week, on Thursday, March 13, his friend, Dr. David Weldon, a confirmation hearing in the Senate have the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weldon has comparable and, in some cases, apparently more extreme views on some health issues.

Vaccinations

Weldon, a doctor, has long been critical of the CDC and the FDA; He has a deep distrust of the agencies and vaccines. In 2007, when he was in the congress, Weldon introduced the vaccine Safety and Public Confidence Act because he thought there was a conflict of interest between the CDC that encouraged vaccinations and was responsible for evaluating their safety. Weldon also falsely insisted that vaccines contain toxic ingredients, including Thimerosal. He introduced a bill to prohibit vaccines that contains Thimerosal“ Even though they were already largely removed. He also continued to promote Disappointing between vaccines and autism. The FDA and CDC are planning to repeat studies looking for a link.

Prof. Peter Hotez MD PHD, a Baylor professor for pediatric and molecular virology, said via e -mail: “We have so much data that vaccine and autism -link, on top of another simple reality: lack of plausibility of how autism processes occur in the early fetal neurod development by the action of the action of the action of the action of the development of the promotion of development”

In fact, the CDC works in terms of monitoring vaccine safety with the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, and that is there Multiple safety monitoring systems In place: Vaccine Novelse Event Reporting System (VAERS), V-SAFE, the vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) and the clinical immunization security evaluation (CISA) project.

To give Weldon credit, he was a co-sponsor of PepfarA dual bill that has provided billions for HIV, malaria and TB programs in poorer countries. In another rare two -way movement, he worked on a bill to prohibit patents for gene -based diagnostic tests.

Status of approval and support of vaccine

As I said last month, there are a number of ways in which RFK JR, especially as a team with Dave Weldon, can undermine vaccination programs.

The list includes postponing approvals, distributing incorrect information and paralyzing the National Vaccine injury Compensation Program, which protects pharmaceutical products against lawsuits.

Weldon could replace the Advisory Committee for the CDC immunization practices by opponents of vaccine (partly because he wrongly believes that the current members have conflicts of interest). If so, they can change the recommendations for vaccinations and insurers would not cover the costs. For example, they could say that HPV and hepatitis B -vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases are, can be prevented by abstinence and therefore not being treated.

The vaccines of the FDA and the related organic products Advisory Committee for this month were canceled. It was to determine the composition of the flu vaccine of the next fall. This cancellation doubts whether a seasonal flu vaccine will be available.

H5N1, or bird flu, is of growing concern. Millions of doses of a conventionally inactivated H5N1 vaccine manufactured by Seqirus are available in the national stock, but it is unclear how well they neutralize the currently circulating virus tribes. Finland vaccinates employees with a high risk with this MF59-Geadjuvanted Aviaire Influenza vaccine.

Kennedy has also explicitly discouraged the use of poultry vaccines because he is afraid that they will change the chickens in ‘mutant factories’. Moderna has a mrna bird -bullmin vaccine in development, but HHS evaluates the contract again because the Trump administration is not a fan of mrna -vaccines.

Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist of infectious diseases, and a member of Defend Public Health, said via e -mail: “Mr. Kennedy did not keep his promises on the vaccines that he has made to members of the congress. Dave Weldon will probably not be kidding once. And must reject the nomination of Weldon. “

We already have an anti-vaxxer like HHS’s head, which does not stand up to stop the growing measles, flu and bird flu epidemics, as well as the exaggerated and growing health risks for women. RFK Jr. stated: “We are going to give infectious diseases a break for about eight years.” Unfortunately, the microbes have different plans and they are usually one step ahead.

What will a CDC do under the helm of Weldon to encourage vaccing use and to prevent wrong information about their dangers? How many people should die from measles or flu before he and RFK Jr. Going back to the basic principles of public health?

The Senate may have to ask: “Why is Weldon the best person for the job?”

Note: I contacted Dr. Weldon, the Senate Assistance Commission communication and the offices of Senators Cassidy, Collins, Paul and Murkowski. Nobody responded from the moment of publication.