Alarming Shifts in U.S. Vaccine Policy – And What We Can Do About It

The Princeton Pulse Podcast

In this episode, the Princeton Pulse Podcast explores recent developments in federal vaccine policy that have public officials deeply worried, along with strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy and restoring public trust.

Will Americans lose access to life-saving vaccines, one of the greatest achievements in public health? Will we see a resurgence of previously eradicated diseases, like measles, which is dangerously on the rise? What can we do at the state and local levels to counter misinformation and protect people from harmful diseases?

Host Heather Howard addresses these questions and more with two guests: Dr. Céline Gounder, a practicing infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist as well as a senior fellow at KFF, editor-at-large at KFF Health News, and medical contributor for CBS News; and Jason Schwartz, associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health, whose research examines vaccination and public health policy, medical regulation, and the impact of science in government decisions.

The panel discusses alarming trends in U.S. vaccination and immunity rates, our increasing vulnerability to disease outbreaks, the erosion of transparency and processes in scientific decision-making, and how states, the medical community, and researchers can help to rebuild trust in science and public health.

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Learn about the Vaccine Integrity Project of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and the Edelman Trust Barometer, which reports on public trust in institutions, media, and other sources of health information.

View Jason Schwartz’s research at Yale School of Public Health.

Dr. Céline Gounder shares health news, articles, and research at https://x.com/celinegounder.

Read a recent op-ed co-authored by Professor Howard: New Jersey must act to protect public health from federal sabotage.

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.