President-elect Donald Trump’s embrace of vaccine doubters, according to the chief of vaccine safety at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), offers the scientific community a chance to inform the public about the importance of these life-saving medications. There can be natural repercussions if these attempts are unsuccessful.

The FDA’s Peter Marks gave a speech Thursday at the Jefferies London Healthcare Conference (JEF +2.60%). The FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is now led by Marks. The center is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness and safety of biological goods, such as vaccines.

Given that Trump has appointed renowned anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, Marks thinks the timing is right for scientists to argue for vaccines.

Trump is anticipated to appoint surgeon and public health expert Marty Makary as the next FDA commissioner, according to Bloomberg. The agency’s approval of COVID-19 booster shots was previously disputed by Makary.

In addition, he has authored a number of opinion pieces regarding the pandemic, such as one asserting that the US will attain herd immunity by April 2021 and a more recent one arguing against the widespread recommendation of vaccines for individuals at lower risk.

Marks cautioned that there may be repercussions if public health representatives do not advocate for immunizations.

The American public will learn the natural consequences of what happens if vaccination rates fall too far because we will start to see measles, polio, things that we should never see in a well-developed country, Marks said virtually. If that doesn’t work, and everything goes haywire in the opposite direction, just as your kids learn that if you put your hand on a hot oven, you will get burned, et cetera, etc.

Marks hopes for some moderation on vaccines in general but expects a vigorous debate over pediatric immunizations and COVID-19.

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