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Delaware Academy of Medicine & Public Health Condemns Misinformation, Supports the Use of Vaccines to Protect Public Health
Friday, November 21, 2025
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated their website with misinformation about vaccines and autism.
Dr. Kate Smith, Executive Director of the Delaware Academy of Medicine and Public Health, issued the following statement in response:
“Thanks to medical advances like safe and effective vaccines, people are living longer than ever before. Diseases that used to kill children regularly, like smallpox, are a thing of the past. Yet, the latest misinformation about vaccines coming from the U.S. CDC threatens that progress, and will likely lead to unnecessary suffering, and even death.
On Wednesday evening, a directive from HHS forced the CDC to publish scientifically false claims about vaccines and autism – claims the agency itself and scientists across the world have spent decades investigating. Study after study has found no link. There is no debate or misunderstanding, no new data has been presented. Politics overrode science in a place where accuracy, integrity, credibility, transparency, and honesty save lives.
We’re already seeing the impact of vaccine misinformation in the growing measles outbreak across the country. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease, and was declared eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago. However, today, there are more than 1,700 of people across the country who have been infected, the majority under age 5, and three people have died from this entirely preventable disease. North America has lost its measles elimination status. The United States will likely lose that status in January.
Earlier this year, the Academy joined thousands of public health and healthcare professionals in opposing the nomination of RFK Jr to lead HHS. This latest move underscores our opposition. RFK Jr. is turning a globally renowned health institution into a circus that the public cannot trust.
Vaccines save lives and we support their use to protect people from infectious diseases. We are fortunate here in Delaware to have leadership that advances evidence-based policies to protect our communities. If you have questions about vaccines, please consult your healthcare provider.”
Governor’s Public Health Alliance
Last week, the Governors of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington formed the Governor’s Public Health Alliance. The Alliance was formed to fill in gaps in pandemic preparedness, infectious-disease tracking, guideline writing, and vaccine stockpiling amidst …
Limited Edition NPHW Shirts
Celebrate Public Health with Purpose – Limited Edition NPHW T-Shirt Show your support for public health and this year’s National Public Health Week with our limited edition grey t-shirt, featuring the winning design from our NPHW Contest! Created by Shira Akoglu, the eye-catching artwork on the back of the shirt …
Steadfast in Our Mission for Public Health
As the nation prepares for another transition in leadership, we echo and support the sentiments shared by APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD. Elections mark pivotal moments, bringing potential shifts in policy direction that can impact the public’s health. Dr. Benjamin acknowledges both the opportunities and challenges such changes may …
April Awareness
April Is…
- Alcohol Awareness Month – https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
- Child Abuse Prevention Month – https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/preventionmonth/
- Donate Life Month – https://www.donatelife.net/ndlm/
- Head & Neck Cancer Awareness Month – http://oralcancerfoundation.org/events/oral-head-neck-cancer-awareness-month/
- IBS Awareness Month – http://www.aboutibs.org/ibs-awareness-month.html
- Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month – http://www.nsvrc.org/saam/
- National Parkinson’s Awareness Month- https://www.parkinson.org/parkinsons-awareness-month
- Arab American Heritage Month- https://arabamericafoundation.org/national-arab-american-heritage-month/
- Autism Acceptance Month- https://www.cdc.gov/autism/php/toolkit/index.html
Weeks:
- April 6-12: National Public Health Week – http://www.nphw.org/
- April 11-17: Black Maternal Health Week- https://blackmamasmatter.org
- April 13-19: STI Awareness Week – https://www.cdc.gov/std/saw/index.htm
- April 19- 25: National Volunteer Week – https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/national-volunteer-week.htm
- April 20-24: Every Kid Healthy Week – http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/what-we-do/every-kid-healthy-week
- April 20-27: National Infant Immunization Week – https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/overview.html
- April 24-30: World Immunization Week – https://www.who.int/news-room
Days:
- April 2: World Autism Awareness Day – https://www.autismspeaks.org/world-autism-awareness-day
- April 10: National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day- https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth
- April 16: National Health Care Decisions Day – http://www.nhdd.org/
- April 22: Earth Day – http://www.earthday.org/
- April 24: Arbor Day- https://www.arborday.org/
- April 25: World Malaria Day- https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-malaria-day
Need more to celebrate? Check out the National Day Holidays and Awareness Days.com
New Academy Blog: Happy Public Health Week!
It’s National Public Health Week!
Check out the blog by our ED, Kate Smith.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Immunization Schedule Changes
As reported by the Washington Post on March 16, 2026: A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from implementing sweeping changes to the nation’s childhood immunization schedule, siding with the American Academy of Pediatrics and many other national medical and scientific organizations. AAP and the other plaintiffs argue …
Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration from Defunding Medical and Public Health Research
Thursday, January 15 – Attorney General Kathy Jennings today issued the following statement after the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed a lower court ruling permanently preventing the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from implementing a policy that would cut billions of dollars in funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country, regardless of whether their state joined the lawsuit:
“It continues to be beyond both belief and reason that this Administration is trying to gut life-saving medical and public health research. Fortunately, the Court has affirmed what we already knew: these proposed cuts are illegal. The groundbreaking work from these sectors is a crown jewel of both Delaware and America at large, and I will continue to fight tooth and nail to protect it.”
We Urge You: Reconsider the Overhaul of the Childhood Immunization Schedule
MEDIA STATEMENT For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Contact: Kate Smith (ksmith@delamed.org) STATEMENT: We Urge The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Reconsider Overhaul of Childhood Immunization Schedule Yesterday afternoon, the Deputy Secretary of Health and …
Delaware Academy of Medicine and Public Health Supports the Use of Hepatitis B Vaccine at Birth
Friday, December 12, 2025 Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to downgrade its longstanding recommendation to vaccinate all newborns against hepatitis B at birth. The newly formed ACIP has, under the leadership of HHS Secretary RFK, Jr., become decidedly …