Statment from Commissioner Dr Alister Martin on federal court's temporary clock on revised childhood vaccine schedule
NEW YORK, NY: Today, the NYC Health Department Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin issued the following statement in response to a federal judge in Boston temporarily blocking three major actions taken by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools to protect children’s health.
Yesterday’s decision by the federal court to temporarily block the actions of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the direction of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a public health win.
There is no new data to support the CDC’s attempts to change the longstanding childhood vaccination schedule.
In the last year, the CDC and RFK Jr. have weakened the childhood vaccination schedule and sown distrust in vaccines by promoting inaccurate information and providing confusing guidance that has no basis in science.
The NYC Health Department has held firm. We endorse the American Academy of Pediatrics childhood and adolescent immunization schedules, which recommend all vaccines previously recommended by the CDC based on rigorous review and evidence. Parents and caregivers should speak to their pediatrician if they have questions about vaccination recommendations. Health care providers in New York City should follow AAP.
As the city’s doctor and an emergency room physician, I’ve seen firsthand how vaccines keep people out of the ER. We at the NYC Health Department remain committed to our mission of protecting the health and safety of all New Yorkers.
