Apoorva Mandavilli

I mean, it would seem he did hijack the process in a way because... There was really no reason to do it in quite this way that I can see or that any of the experts I've talked to can see. Because really, we have been headed in this direction anyway. Advisors to the CDC have been talking about not having healthy kids get the COVID shot.

I mean, it would seem he did hijack the process in a way because... There was really no reason to do it in quite this way that I can see or that any of the experts I've talked to can see. Because really, we have been headed in this direction anyway. Advisors to the CDC have been talking about not having healthy kids get the COVID shot.

So in June, they were going to meet and vote on this exact issue. If at that point they didn't do the thing he wanted, he could still have overruled them. But to not even allow that discussion to happen, to not even allow those data to be public and discussed, that seems really strange to me.

So in June, they were going to meet and vote on this exact issue. If at that point they didn't do the thing he wanted, he could still have overruled them. But to not even allow that discussion to happen, to not even allow those data to be public and discussed, that seems really strange to me.

That's a fair point. You could say this is standard for parts of the Trump administration, at least. And that's certainly how RFK Jr. has acted, even with things like cuts to federal agencies and getting rid of entire departments within those agencies. But the problem here is that the stakes are just very high.

That's a fair point. You could say this is standard for parts of the Trump administration, at least. And that's certainly how RFK Jr. has acted, even with things like cuts to federal agencies and getting rid of entire departments within those agencies. But the problem here is that the stakes are just very high.

You know, when you look at an agency like the FDA or like the CDC, its credibility, its integrity is really, really heavily dependent on this kind of process. It's very important for people to be able to see what led to the decisions. It's very important for companies to know that, because if you do this kind of decision making that seems arbitrary and, you Don't show your work.

You know, when you look at an agency like the FDA or like the CDC, its credibility, its integrity is really, really heavily dependent on this kind of process. It's very important for people to be able to see what led to the decisions. It's very important for companies to know that, because if you do this kind of decision making that seems arbitrary and, you Don't show your work.

The companies may just take their products elsewhere. We don't know what will happen with other drugs and vaccines. It just opens the door to a lot of uncertainty about health, which is a very, very important part of our lives. And so the stakes, I think, being so high makes it very important that this not be treated like any other part of what the Trump administration does.

The companies may just take their products elsewhere. We don't know what will happen with other drugs and vaccines. It just opens the door to a lot of uncertainty about health, which is a very, very important part of our lives. And so the stakes, I think, being so high makes it very important that this not be treated like any other part of what the Trump administration does.

There's an absolute possibility of lawsuits and I've already heard rumblings about it. I mean, there's a process that legally they're required to do. And when they skip those steps, it does open it up to the companies, for example, could sue saying that their products are now unfairly being limited to only some populations, even though there's no safety data indicating that to be a problem.

There's an absolute possibility of lawsuits and I've already heard rumblings about it. I mean, there's a process that legally they're required to do. And when they skip those steps, it does open it up to the companies, for example, could sue saying that their products are now unfairly being limited to only some populations, even though there's no safety data indicating that to be a problem.

You know, there are individuals and organizations that could sue because they now can't access the vaccine when they want to. And they could similarly argue that there are no safety reasons for them not to have the vaccine. And so there are lots of different ways this could go.

You know, there are individuals and organizations that could sue because they now can't access the vaccine when they want to. And they could similarly argue that there are no safety reasons for them not to have the vaccine. And so there are lots of different ways this could go.

And there are already efforts to have, you know, statements that clarify where the majority of the medical or public health establishment falls. So, for example, there's now a vaccine integrity project, which is a bunch of experts who have banded together to offer what they think of as the more sane science-based stance on vaccines.

And there are already efforts to have, you know, statements that clarify where the majority of the medical or public health establishment falls. So, for example, there's now a vaccine integrity project, which is a bunch of experts who have banded together to offer what they think of as the more sane science-based stance on vaccines.

And you're right that when you have all those kinds of dissenting voices, it does create confusion. But what's really clear is when the government puts its weight behind one decision or another, it creates a lot of mistrust for the average person.

And you're right that when you have all those kinds of dissenting voices, it does create confusion. But what's really clear is when the government puts its weight behind one decision or another, it creates a lot of mistrust for the average person.

Well, we've seen with other vaccines, for example, with measles, that when there is sort of public discussion about their concerns about safety that are unfounded or questions raised about how long they're effective, it does have an impact on people's willingness to go get the vaccine. And we're in the midst of multiple measles outbreaks in this country right now.

Well, we've seen with other vaccines, for example, with measles, that when there is sort of public discussion about their concerns about safety that are unfounded or questions raised about how long they're effective, it does have an impact on people's willingness to go get the vaccine. And we're in the midst of multiple measles outbreaks in this country right now.