Persuading the Public: Op Eds and Letters to the Editor

In response to claims by the Trump administration that COVID19 vaccines caused 25 pediatric deaths, Defend Public Health reviewed the scientific evidence from rigorous vaccine safety surveillance systems and expert published reports to demonstrate how we know that COVID19 vaccines do not cause pediatric deaths, and why the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) alone cannot be used to claim that vaccines cause adverse events.

With Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promising to announce what he believes are the causes of autism this month, Defend Public Health is preemptively warning the public not to trust anything that he says on the subject without confirming with other sources. To arm the public with the facts, DPH has released a summary of what is known about the risk factors for autism spectrum disorder, including the extensive evidence that vaccines are not to blame.

As an alternative to HHS Sec. Kennedy's flawed, dishonest "MAHA Report," Defend Public Health offers some key policies to truly improve Americans’ health. While certainly not exhaustive, our report outlines evidence-based approaches we believe would make a real difference. We pay close attention to social determinants of health -- economic and social factors often related to poverty and discrimination -- that play a huge role.