Dave Weldon, a former Florida congressman and President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has a long and controversial history regarding his erroneous belief in a link between vaccines and autism. His potential boss, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump has chosen to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also believes in a link between vaccines and autism.

Weldon has consistently supported the false claim that thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines, is linked to autism. This stance aligns him with anti-vaccine advocates who view him as an ally. Weldon has accused the CDC of colluding with the pharmaceutical industry to minimize liability and downplay the risks of thimerosal in vaccines. In 2007, Weldon introduced a bill to transfer the responsibility for vaccine safety from the CDC to an independent agency within HHS. He sponsored legislation to ban preservative levels of thimerosal in vaccines and called for the CDC to provide its vaccine data to independent researchers to ensure transparency and unbiased analysis.

The autism-vaccine controversy primarily began with a now-debunked study published in 1998 in The Lancet, which falsely claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. The paper’s claims led to a significant drop in vaccination rates in the United Kingdom and Ireland, resulting in outbreaks of measles and mumps, causing deaths and serious injuries. In 2010, The Lancet fully retracted the paper, citing ethical violations and fraudulent data manipulation. Investigations revealed that the primary author had multiple undeclared conflicts of interest and had manipulated evidence. Extensive research and numerous studies have consistently found no evidence supporting a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence refuting any link between vaccines and autism, the myth persists, fueled by misinformation spread through media and social platforms and now by individuals who are supposed to be heading the very agencies dedicated to debunking such propaganda.

Vaccines have been instrumental in preventing diseases and reducing mortality rates globally. Over the past 50 years, global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives, including 101 million infants.

The impact of specific vaccines has been remarkable: The smallpox vaccine led to the complete eradication of the disease, declared by the World Health Organization in 1980. This achievement stands as one of the greatest successes in public health history. Polio vaccination efforts have enabled more than 20 million people to walk who would otherwise have been paralyzed, bringing the world to the brink of polio eradication. Measles vaccination is projected to save nearly 19 million lives by 2030. During the recent pandemic, COVID-19 vaccines significantly reduced the risk of death, severe symptoms and hospitalization among adult populations.

Vaccination not only saves lives but also improves overall health and contributes to economic benefits: For each life saved through immunization, an average of 66 years of full health were gained, totaling 10.2 billion full health years over five decades. In low- and middle-income countries, each dollar spent on immunization saves $52, highlighting the economic efficiency of vaccination programs. Vaccines reduce the burden on health care systems by preventing diseases that would otherwise require costly treatments. In the United States, the financial burden of vaccine-preventable diseases was estimated at $9 billion annually, with 80% of this burden due to unvaccinated individuals.

Immunization programs help prevent productivity loss due to illness and absenteeism. For instance, seasonal influenza vaccines in the United Kingdom avoid the loss of 6 million working days annually.

Vaccines have transformed human health, preventing millions of deaths, improving quality of life and contributing to economic prosperity.

While concerns and challenges exist with any significant health initiative, the overwhelming scientific evidence supports the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

As we look to the future, continued investment in vaccine research, development and equitable distribution will be crucial in addressing existing and emerging health threats, ultimately working toward a healthier global population.

Trump’s recent nomination of Weldon to lead the CDC has raised concerns among public health experts about his potential influence on vaccine policy in the United States. If confirmed, Weldon would have considerable influence over vaccine policy, especially working under Kennedy. This nomination comes at a time of rising measles and whooping cough cases, underscoring the importance of ramping up effective vaccine policies. It is not a time to weaken them. Enough with the vaccine skepticism!

A.J. Russo (dr.a.j.russo@gmail.com) is a retired biology professor from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and has also taught at Drew University and Hartwick College. He is the research director of the Mensah Medical Research Institute in Warrenville, Illinois, and author of the recent book “Vaccine Development and the Understanding of Immunity” (Cambridge Scholars, 2024).