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We always knew when it was time to get our shots. The drive to the doctor’s office was quiet, filled with anticipation as we waited to be called back to face our fate. There was, however, one small comfort—a large jar of lollipops, offered as a simple distraction to ease the moment and perhaps improve our willingness to comply.
Those moments mattered. They resulted in a childhood largely free from serious infections like measles and mumps—diseases that once caused significant illness and loss.
Years later, I found myself on the other side of that experience, working in research labs to help develop vaccines. We studied HIV, E. coli, dengue—without breakthrough success in those particular efforts. Still, the work was meaningful. It contributed to the broader scientific foundation, advancing techniques that others would build upon.
That path eventually led me to clinical medicine, where the mission became even more immediate: to treat the sick and prevent suffering. That commitment to the health of our communities has never wavered.
Today, however, we are facing a different kind of challenge. The current climate has brought direct challenges to the integrity of science and medicine. Recent actions at the federal level—including efforts by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene panels that depart from established scientific expertise—have raised serious concerns. Moves to reduce the number of recommended childhood vaccines risk undermining decades of clinical research and public health progress.
For generations, vaccine policy has been guided by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an expert body that provides evidence-based recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Replacing established expertise with unsupported claims—such as linking vaccines to autism or eczema without credible scientific evidence—threatens public trust and, more importantly, public health.
In response, the medical and scientific community has come together. Professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have taken legal action. These efforts have already resulted in a temporary pause, with courts noting concerns about process and the undermining of established scientific standards.
Meanwhile, we are witnessing the consequences of eroding confidence in vaccines. Measles, a disease once largely controlled through vaccination, is re-emerging across the country. It is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, especially in children, including pneumonia and brain swelling.
There will be challenges ahead. But there is also reason for optimism.
Here in California, Assembly Bill 144 stands as a critical safeguard. By ensuring continued vaccine coverage based on sound medical and public health guidance, it protects access for patients across Medi-Cal and commercial plans—even in the face of shifting federal policies.
This is where our role becomes essential. As clinicians, researchers, and advocates, we must continue to bring a clear, evidence-based perspective. We must share what we see, what we know, and what our patients experience—with policymakers, with communities, and with one another.
Change is possible. We have seen that through our work and partnerships, including through the California Health Care Foundation.
When I think back to those childhood visits—the quiet car rides, the nervous anticipation, and yes, the lollipop—I feel a deep sense of gratitude. Those small moments were part of something much larger: a system grounded in science, working to protect us all.
That responsibility now rests with us.
And while challenges remain, so does our collective commitment—to science, to our patients, and to the health of our communities.
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