DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional

Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist who leads the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said a person’s right to refuse a vaccine outweighed concerns about illness or death from infectious diseases.

Offering a startlingly candid view into the philosophy guiding vaccine recommendations under the Trump administration, the leader of the federal panel that recommends vaccines for Americans said shots against polio and measles — and perhaps all diseases — should be optional, offered only in consultation with a clinician.

Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist who is chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said that he did have “concerns” that some children might die of measles or become paralyzed with polio as a result of a choice not to vaccinate. But, he said, “I also am saddened when people die of alcoholic diseases,” adding, “Freedom of choice and bad health outcomes.”

In the case of an infectious disease, a personal choice to decline a vaccine may also affect others, including infants who are too young to be vaccinated or people who are immunocompromised. But a person’s right to reject a vaccine supersedes those risks, Dr. Milhoan said.

“If there is no choice, then informed consent is an illusion,” he said. “Without consent it is medical battery.”

The polio and measles vaccines are widely acknowledged as staggering successes in public health, credited with preventing disability and millions of deaths worldwide. The polio vaccine in particular has strong bipartisan support, including from President Trump and some Republican lawmakers, who have invoked the horrific time before the vaccine was available.

But Dr. Milhoan said that making the vaccines optional, rather than requiring them for entry into public schools nationwide, as is now the case, would ultimately restore trust in public health.

Outside experts had sharp words for Dr. Milhoan, saying the changes in vaccine policy he was suggesting would result in unnecessary deaths among children.

“He has no idea what he’s talking about,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the infectious disease committee at the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“These vaccines protect children and save lives,” Dr. O’Leary said. “It’s very frustrating for those of us who spend our careers trying to do what we can to improve the health of children to see harm coming to children because of an ideological agenda not grounded in science.”

Dr. Milhoan outlined some of his views in an episode of the podcast “Why Should I Trust You?” that aired on Thursday. In the podcast, he said polio and measles were not the threat they once were in the United States because of improvements in medicine and sanitation, rather than the vaccines alone, echoing comments by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He described himself as “pulling back the curtain” on the risks of vaccines.

In a series of text messages later on Thursday and Friday, he elaborated on his view that personal autonomy was paramount. The vaccine committee may “not necessarily” recommend that all vaccines be optional, he added, but it is charged with “re-evaluating all of the vaccine products including risks and benefits” and may make significant changes to the roster of childhood vaccines over the coming year.

Any changes the committee makes would add to a significant reshaping of the vaccination schedule announced this month by federal health officials. Bypassing the process that the committee has long followed for vaccine recommendations, Mr. Kennedy and his appointees debuted a schedule that reduces the number of recommended immunizations to 11 from 17, and advises that the six vaccines that were dropped should now be administered only under “shared clinical decision making” — that is, after consultation with a health care provider.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on Dr. Milhoan’s views.

So far, states and insurance companies are continuing to follow the previous vaccination schedule, which is still endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical organizations. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require children to be vaccinated against most of the 17 diseases to attend public schools.

Children can be exempted from the shots for medical or other reasons. Still, requiring routine shots for school entry is “heavy handed” and “authoritarian,” Dr. Milhoan said on the podcast. “What we are doing is returning individual autonomy to the first order — not public health but individual autonomy to the first order,” he added.

Dr. Helen Chu, a vaccine expert at the University of Washington in Seattle and a former A.C.I.P. member, said the entire premise of a conflict between individual choice and public health was false.

“It is true that vaccinated people are less likely to infect others, but the primary reason to receive a vaccine is to protect yourself,” she said.

Noel Brewer, a vaccine expert and previous member of the committee, said Dr. Milhoan seemed to misunderstand the purpose of the vaccine committee.

“A.C.I.P. makes recommendations for what is best for the whole population,” Dr. Brewer said. As for individual autonomy, all vaccines are already delivered with patient consent, he noted.

“For me, autonomy means being able to have my children go to the grocery store or go to preschool and not be stalked by a vaccine-preventable disease that will kill them,” he added. “Ensuring high uptake of vaccines through school-entry requirements protects my child and other children.”

Dr. Milhoan seemed to approach the committee’s work from his perspective as a medical doctor, rather than as a champion of public health, said Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, a surgeon and co-host of the podcast.

During the wide-ranging interview, Dr. Milhoan also claimed he had seen data that suggested “a very large death signal in children” from the Covid vaccine, referring to at least 10 deaths that the Food and Drug Administration is investigating but has not yet made public. He said there were emerging concerns that repeatedly stimulating the immune system with multiple vaccines might increase the risk of allergies, asthma and eczema.

Large studies have dismissed that claim, but Dr. Milhoan said he trusted his own observations over what “established science” might suggest about vaccines.

“He views the vaccines as the threat,” Dr. Abdelmalek said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/health/milhoan-vaccines-optional-polio.html



This is what it looks like when the inmates are running the asylum. Many of us saw this coming well before now.

How does the "inmates are running the asylum" make sense??


RFK and HHS just reapproved both polio and measles to be continued in the immunization schedule.

Seems like a lot of snowflakes melting over nothing.

Good grief....

These liberal idiots get their panties in a bunch and hair on fire with each and every decision made or when strength is being used in negotiations. They are weak people and hate watching someone show strength. It is really pathetic.

Reading you pretending to be a tough guy is what's pathetic.

Keyboard commandos are a dime a dozen.

This is the man RFK Jr. himself appointed to lead the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. I know in trumplandia they pretend the things he says means nothing in their feeble attempt to dismiss it. Pay attention.

Just to recap two conversations - one from this thread and one from another.

1. Illegal immigrants commit crime at a lower rate than US citizens, but there is outrage and examples of a handful (2 or was it 3) women were raped by illegal immigrants. Somehow it was presented that being raped by an illegal immigrant was worse than being raped by a US citizen because it was claimed it was 'easily preventable'.

2. RFK instigates a new policy on vaccines (because despite established science, RFK is a known anti-vaccer) whereby many eminent professionals in the field state children will die as a result of the policy. I guess you could suggest the experts are arguing that these deaths are easily preventable by virtue of simply not introducing the new policy .... And the reaction is to claim that outspoken criticism of the policy is 'Snoweflakery'.

Something doesn't seem to add up.

That's the only weak azz BS they have. If they don't like what you have to say or refuse to admit the gravity of it, they claim you're the weak one. Often times they'll just call it "fake news" or "liberal media bias" to avoid it all together.

And in the middle of all of it, we have an inciteful idiot in the White House and when you post his idiocy or bring these things up they dodge what he did or said and somehow that's a problem with you because you have TDS.

They sound like they're 10. My apologies in advance to all 10 year olds.

You're skipping the part where there is no new policy based on this report.

You're creating a strawman based on:

1. Illegal alien rapes and murders - FACTS that have already had an effect.
2. Someone questions vaccines - Fairytale b.s. based on not liking someone's opinion.

You've always proposed some really bizarre talking points; you've been in skipping your meds territory as of late. Are you okay?

You are skipping the fact that RFK Jr. himself appointed several anti vaxxers including the man who leads the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and pretending that isn't an issue and that the words he says has no meaning or bearing on anything. Appointing people to that committee that are already known to be against vaccines is an issue.

Speaking of someone skipping their meds.

I'm not skipping anything. You and yours have a ten-year history of predicting doom and gloom that never comes to pass.

This is nothing more than another episode of the same.

Step 1: Tell us all how catastrophic something is based on how catastrophic it may one day be.
No receipts, nothing more than opinion to back up your case.
Step 2: Hide in the bushes and act like you never said anything when it doesn't come to pass.
Step 2b (optional): Rewrite history or plant a hindsight strawman to change the original argument.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Remember during hearings jfk Jr said doesn't think anyone should take medical advice from him. And Republicans decided to approve his nomination. Only the best!

Just because you ignore how true things become doesn't change that they do.

But let me guess, after posted warnings about how much project 2025 would be a significant part of this administration you deny how many people directly connected to project 2025 are a part of this administration? You deny that many of the policies trump has supported and imposed by executive order aren't some of the exact things we said he would do?

Just because you sit back with your fingers in your ears yelling la, la, la, la, la, la so you can't hear anything doesn't mean it isn't happening. It's not my fault you keep making excuses for it and somehow blame the other side for it. Same as it ever was.......

Thanks for brining that up.

During a May 2025 appearance before the House Appropriations Committee, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was asked if he would vaccinate a child for measles and responded that he “probably” would, then immediately added that he did not think people should be taking medical advice from him and that his opinions on vaccines were “irrelevant.”


God forbid -- candid honesty. The horror!!

It is nice to see a person openly admit they are not qualified to do the job they've been given. That's usually the point at which most people would be fired from that job.

and republicans gave him the job!

Except that he wasn't hired to be a doctor.

ReAdInG Is HaRd!

The past 20 secretaries.....

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (2025–present)
Previous job: Environmental lawyer, activist, and founder of Children's Health Defense.
Doctor? No (has DC degree, not MD).

Xavier Becerra (2021–2025)
Previous job: Attorney General of California.
Doctor? No.

Alex Azar (2018–2021)
Previous job: President of Eli Lilly and Company (pharma executive).
Doctor? No.

Tom Price (2017)
Previous job: U.S. Representative from Georgia (and orthopedic surgeon earlier in career).
Doctor? Yes (MD, orthopedic surgeon).

Sylvia Mathews Burwell (2014–2017)
Previous job: President of the Walmart Foundation.
Doctor? No.

Kathleen Sebelius (2009–2014)
Previous job: Governor of Kansas.
Doctor? No.

Mike Leavitt (2005–2009)
Previous job: Governor of Utah.
Doctor? No.

Tommy Thompson (2001–2005)
Previous job: Governor of Wisconsin.
Doctor? No.

Donna Shalala (1993–2001)
Previous job: President of the University of Miami (previously chancellor and professor).
Doctor? No (PhD in political science).

Louis W. Sullivan (1989–1993)
Previous job: Founding dean and president of Morehouse School of Medicine.
Doctor? Yes (MD, physician and hematologist).

Otis Bowen (1985–1989)
Previous job: Governor of Indiana (previously practicing physician).
Doctor? Yes (MD, family physician).

Margaret Heckler (1983–1985)
Previous job: U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.
Doctor? No.

Richard Schweiker (1981–1983)
Previous job: U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.
Doctor? No.

Patricia Roberts Harris (1980–1981; continued from HEW role)
Previous job: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (and earlier Ambassador).
Doctor? No (lawyer).

Joseph A. Califano Jr. (1977–1979; HEW)
Previous job: Senior White House aide and lawyer in private practice.
Doctor? No.

F. David Mathews (1975–1977; HEW)
Previous job: President of the University of Alabama.
Doctor? No (PhD in education).

Caspar Weinberger (1973–1975; HEW)
Previous job: Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Doctor? No (lawyer).

Elliot Richardson (1970–1973; HEW)
Previous job: Under Secretary of State (and earlier Attorney General of Massachusetts).
Doctor? No (lawyer).

Robert Finch (1969–1970; HEW)
Previous job: Lieutenant Governor of California.
Doctor? No (lawyer).

Wilbur J. Cohen (1968–1969; HEW)
Previous job: Under Secretary of HEW (longtime social welfare expert and academic).
Doctor? No (no medical degree; social policy expert).

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

So being in charge of the department that actually hands out health and vaccine guidelines doesn't require someone you should be able to take "medical advice" from?

Where did anyone say he needed to be a doctor? Here is a hint. Nobody is this conversation did. But you certainly need someone that doesn't deny the science and is qualified to give proper and trustworthy health avdice and guidelines based on science and doctors.

I guess ReAdInG Is HaRd!

No dude, I would rather stare at that terrible list from above and follow broken protocol. Afterall, who can argue with this:


Life Expectancy
US life expectancy fell from 78.8 years pre-pandemic to around 78.6 years recently, marking three consecutive years of decline—the worst streak since World War I. Projections indicate a modest rise to 80.4 years by 2050, but the global ranking will drop from 49th in 2022 to 66th among 204 countries, due to slower gains compared to peers.

Obesity Rates
Over 70% of US adults are overweight, with 36-42% obese—rates far exceeding most high-income countries and driving higher death risks from related factors. Obesity is forecasted to affect over 260 million Americans by 2050, fueling a "public health crisis" by exacerbating chronic conditions.

Chronic Diseases
Key drivers include rising Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and high blood sugar, with obesity amplifying these; addressing them could avert 12.4 million deaths by 2050. US rankings in health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) are also slipping, projected to fall to 108th globally by 2050

*Wondering to myself... should I really pay attention to actual facts and stats from the past or just rely on Pit@dawgtalker's predictions for the future? Tough call.

I would love to know what any of that has to do with anything I posted? Where did I predict the future. If you keep taking those long walks off of short piers you'll end up drowning.

We are talking about vaccines here. We are talking about the very man who was appointed to run the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services admitting you shouldn't take medical advice from him. He's the one who said that and not Pit@dawgtalker's. And what predictions did I make about the future in regards to this topic?

"Unprecedented threat": Six former surgeons general sound alarm on RFK Jr.

https://www.axios.com/2025/10/07/rfk-jr-surgeons-general-vaccines-warning

But you just keep on yammering stupid BS. You think you're arguing with me. The reality is you're arguing with six former Surgeon Generals. You know, actual experts that know what they talking about instead of FATE@Dawgtalkers.