FDA's Peter Marks talks about what RFK Jr. means for vaccines

LONDON – Acceptance by the incoming Trump administration and anti-vaxxers will give scientists and public health officials an opportunity to make the case for the value of immunizations, the top U.S. vaccine regulator said Thursday. said while making a powerful statement. – Save vaccines.

But if the public health side fails, the U.S. could face dire consequences, warned Peter Marks of the Food and Drug Administration.

“If that doesn't work out and everything spins out of control in the opposite direction, it's going to be like kids learn the natural consequences, like if you put your hand in a hot oven you'll get burned and things like that. Americans , the public will learn the corollary of what happens when vaccination rates fall too low, as things like measles and polio that we should never see in developed countries start to re-emerge.” Mr. Marks, who gave the lecture, said: Healthcare conference at Jefferies London.

Marks, who heads the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said scientists need to make it clear they have the facts on their side. No, the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine does not cause autism. But as measles vaccinations decline, more children will die from measles.

“I have to believe that some degree of moderation will prevail,” Marks said in a conversation with two Jefferies analysts. “I have no doubt that there will be a very vigorous conversation about the benefits and risks of vaccines, and I think there will probably be a very vigorous conversation around the COVID-19 vaccine, probably the pediatric vaccine. ”

But Marks spoke as if he were trying to make his vision of the future a reality: “My hope is that through open dialogue we will get to the right place.”

mark I've been making Since the election, debate has continued over the safety and effectiveness of approved vaccines. But his remarks at the Jefferies conference came after President-elect Trump last week nominated vaccine critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA. RFK Jr. fanned the flames of anti-vaccine rhetoric by claimingfalsely claims that vaccinations can cause autism, but the president has said since his election that he has no intention of taking away available vaccines from people.

Marks did not specifically mention Kennedy in response to an analyst's question about the influence of the Trump administration and its officials on the FDA. Marks also noted that an announcement on Trump's selection to head the FDA is expected soon.

RFK Junior is sued the FDA He claimed that the agency was waging a “war on public health” and that the agency was corrupted by pharmaceutical companies as well as the food and chemical industries. With the selection of RFK Jr. to run HHS, there are concerns that he will try to fire many of the agency's experts, or that more people will leave the agency of their own volition under the second Trump administration. Concerns have been raised that it may discourage participation with the FDA.

mark repeated He said he wants to continue working.

“I'll stay here as long as they think it's okay for me to stay,” he said with a laugh.

RFK Jr.'s profile rose during the pandemic, as many Americans became disillusioned with government health agencies and questioned the effectiveness and safety of coronavirus vaccines. Public health officials are concerned that lingering questions about coronavirus vaccinations could fuel hesitancy about other vaccines.

Marks said health agencies could have performed better during the pandemic, which could have increased confidence in the new vaccines. For example, he said, even though health officials have said the COVID-19 vaccination is safe, it still means there can be rare and serious side effects. However, some people felt betrayed by this.

“It's true that there is a lot of skepticism about vaccines in the United States,” Marks said. “Some of it may be natural. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we haven't done a perfect job of communicating things.”

But Marks added: “A lot of it is unwarranted and the result of conspiracy theories, misinformation, people calling information misinformation. It's a real mess.” He said scientists and health officials are using the facts behind vaccines to He said there was a need to confront skepticism.

Later in the conversation, Marks returned to the word “misinformation.”

“I hate using the word 'misinformation' because it has become a garbage term for lies,” he says.