Trump’s Former Surgeon General, FDA Head Warn Incoming RFK Jr.-Led Health Admin on Vaccines — Risk ‘Outbreaks for 4 Years This Time Instead of 1’
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams warned Saturday that the new health regime, for which Trump has named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to top jobs, had “better have strong infectious disease response plan” and restore vaccine confidence, or we could face outbreaks throughout the next term.
Adams, who served as Surgeon General under the first Donald Trump’s administration, made the statement in a post on X, formerly Twitter, noting that global measles deaths have reached over 100,000, with children making up most of the casualties.
” Whooping cough cases up 5x this year. 100,000 global measles deaths – mostly in kids,” Adams wrote in the Saturday post. “The new administration had better have a strong infectious disease response plan- and had better ensure public health and vaccine confidence stays high. Or they’ll be distracted with outbreaks for 4 years this time instead of 1.”
Whooping cough cases up 5x this year
100,000 global measles deaths – mostly in kids
H5N1 steamrolling towards pandemic status. Egg prices skyrocketing.
The new administration had better have a strong infectious disease response plan- and had better ensure public health and…
— Jerome Adams (@JeromeAdamsMD) November 23, 2024
Adams was not the only former Trump official to issue warnings about rising risks from infectious disease among Americans. Former Trump FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb posted an article on X about how the U.S. is experiencing 4 times as many pertussis cases compared with 2023.
'US experiencing more than 4 times as many pertussis cases compared with last year
“With the increase in vaccine hesitancy…we’re seeing outbreaks occurring in kids who aren't vaccinated,” said the president of Infectious Diseases Society of America'https://t.co/SjzxwvMvHw
— Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) November 23, 2024
On Friday, Trump named Nesheiwat, practicing physician, as his nominee for surgeon general in his second term. Some conservatives online have criticized Nesheiwat for her pro-vaccine views – a potential opposing viewpoint in the administration to RFK Jr.
Since Trump nominated Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he has faced criticism over his anti-vaccine views.
