Anil Karihaloo’s Post

[Importantly, all of this unfolds after 5 years of public health being through the wringer. And, in an already shifting landscape: general amnesia of vaccine-preventable diseases, loss of trust in institutions, and a changing information landscape fueled by social media. This has led to policies like the following: • Last month, 6 counties in Idaho outright banned the availability of Covid-19 vaccines. • Texas doesn’t allow public health departments to educate about Covid-19 vaccines. • Missouri has removed the ability for public health departments to report data to WHO (and thus, CDC).]

🌟 New Special Issue Launched! 📙 Measles Outbreak: Causes and Vaccination Strategies to Overcome 🎓 Guest editors: Dr. Cristiana Ferrari, University of Rome Tor Vergata, and Dr. Nicolas Vignier, Sorbonne Université. This Special Issue is hoping to attract original research articles and reviews that offer both global and region-specific perspectives, alongside evidence-based research and findings relevant to policy. The objective is to create a comprehensive collection of best practices in this field, supporting the development of resilient public health systems. 🔓 Submissions Deadline: 20 July 2025 For more information: https://lnkd.in/gpduscRp #MeaslesOutbreak #VaccineHesitancy #ImmunizationStrategies #PublicHealthPolicy #HerdImmunity #DiseasePrevention #VaccinationCoverage

The Rise of the "Medical Freedom" Movement: A Wake-Up Call for Public Health 🩺 The “medical freedom” movement is growing. Fueled by misinformation and distrust, it’s creating real challenges for healthcare providers and organizations like ours. Here’s what’s happening: ⬇️ #Vaccination rates are declining. ⬆️ Exemptions are increasing. 🔁 Vaccine-preventable #diseases are making a comeback. These trends can’t be ignored. And for Medicare ACOs like ours, this is a call to action. What can healthcare employees and providers do? 1️⃣ Build trust: Create open, judgment-free spaces to address vaccine hesitancy. 2️⃣ Educate and advocate: Stay informed, share science-backed information, and engage your community. 3️⃣ Promote prevention: Reinforce the importance of vaccines and other #preventivecare measures. 4️⃣ Lead by example: Show trust in public health measures—your confidence inspires others. What can ACOs do? 1️⃣ Enhance education: Offer clear, accessible resources to dispel myths. 2️⃣ Support providers: Equip them with tools, training, and data for patient engagement. 3️⃣ Advocate for policies: Back initiatives promoting vaccination and public health measures. 4️⃣ Leverage data: Use analytics to identify gaps and disparities, and act. 5️⃣ Engage communities: Build partnerships to foster trust and awareness. At Advanced Management USA, we’re taking a stand. We believe that proactive engagement and education are the keys to safeguarding public health. Let’s work together to combat misinformation, build trust, and protect our communities. How can healthcare organizations collaborate to fight misinformation and build confidence in public health? Comment below—let’s discuss. #PublicHealth #HealthcareLeadership #PatientEngagement #Healthcare #PopulationHealth #ValueBasedCare #ACO #Medicare https://lnkd.in/eCzzxkvV

A recent study by Michal Tanzer and colleagues from University College London, published in PLOS Global Public Health, explores the impact of epistemic trust on vaccine hesitancy and susceptibility to fake news. The research highlights that individuals with high credulity struggle to differentiate between real and fake news, often affirming false information, particularly regarding COVID-19. Mistrust and credulity were linked to conspiracy beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. Although causal relationships were not established, the findings suggest that public health interventions should address these cognitive vulnerabilities. Further research is needed to determine if these results apply globally.

Florida public health pseudoscience: Coming soon to the federal government? When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis first appointed Dr. Ladapo as Florida’s Surgeon-General and therefore the person in charge of the Florida Department of Health and the state’s entire public health apparatus, many of us were justifiably alarmed, an alarm that has been totally validated by his performance since his appointment. After all, Dr. Ladapo was a founding member of America’s Frontline Doctors, which made a name for itself in that horrible first summer of the pandemic by touting hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure for COVID-19 and later turned to telehealth grift selling prescriptions for ivermectin to cure COVID-19, and a signatory of the Great Barrington Declaration, the document published by contrarian scientists brought together by a right-wing think tank to advocate a social Darwinist “let ‘er rip” approach to the pandemic with poorly defined “focused protection” for those most at risk for severe disease and death from the pandemic. Moreover, this “updated guidance” is far from the first time that Dr. Ladapo has tried to mislead using the usual denialist techniques of cherry picking evidence and even outright misrepresenting it. Last year, he was busted for altering a Florida Department of Health study for lying with statistics to make it look as though the vaccine was more dangerous than COVID-19 for men under 40. Earlier this year, consistent with its inclusion in this “guidance,” Dr. Ladapo was parroting McKernan’s bad sciencethat massively exaggerated the problem of DNA contamination of the vaccine. Given the recent developments in which Donald Trump has cozied up to RFK Jr. and (apparently) promised him a cabinet-level position in his administration, should he win in November, it’s very easy to foresee what will happen to medicine, public health, and science in general if Trump becomes President again. You need look no further than Florida, except that it could even be worse than Florida. After all, Dr. Ladapo isn’t the only doctor hostile to vaccines and public health science who would likely find a leadership position in a second Trump administration. There is ample reason to be afraid, very afraid.

Public health is at the core of what we do as pediatricians. It is important that everyone have access to accurate and in many cases life saving information. Please read what Katelyn Jetelina, author of Your Local Epidemiologist, has to say. https://lnkd.in/euapuw5Z

💡 Did you know the U.S. Surgeon General has declared public health misinformation an urgent threat? Misinformation can significantly impact health decisions and outcomes. 📣 At HireSpace, we are dedicated to combating this issue. ❓ What is one piece of public health misinformation you've encountered recently? Share your experiences and let's work together to promote accurate information. Learn more from NPR: https://lnkd.in/gZG3Mnc #PublicHealth #HealthMisinformation #StayInformed #HealthAwareness #HireSpace #FightMisinformation #HealthEducation

We're excited to share our latest research paper to dive deep into the diverse discourses among unvaccinated young individuals against COVID-19 in Madrid. We aim to uncover the motivations and underlying rationales behind their choice to remain unvaccinated. Key Findings: 1. Assertion of the Right to Individual Autonomy: Young individuals emphasize their freedom and autonomy in making health decisions. 2. Perceptions of Social and Political Manipulation: There is a prevalent belief in being manipulated by societal and political forces. 3. Skepticism Towards Vaccines: Rooted in a broader scientific skepticism, these individuals question the safety and efficacy of vaccines. This study sheds light on the complex and nuanced reasons behind vaccine hesitancy among youth, providing valuable insights for public health strategies and communication efforts. Read the full paper to explore these findings in-depth and understand the discourses that shape vaccine hesitancy in Madrid's young population: https://lnkd.in/dSyd3NWs

In their latest Nature Reviews Psychology Paper, Philipp Schmid, Enny Das (both DIG) and their colleagues analyse the costs, benefits and risks of vaccination mandates. As the “high degree of restrictiveness that characterizes mandates might trigger reactance”, the authors propose a variety of alternative interventions directly addressing the underlying psychological mechanisms of vaccine hesitancy. Learn more about this exciting research and explore their behaviour change toolbox at https://lnkd.in/g2kB4C7T

Dr. Carmella Kahn and colleagues described an innovative public health course they developed using Diné-centered pedagogy to train undergraduate students as health messengers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The students shared culturally relevant health materials with vaccine hesitant peers and family to address questions or gaps in knowledge about the vaccines. https://bit.ly/3Cu0XMT