What I'm really trying to say there is people perceive vaccines were being forced on them.

That is not true.

When we're forcing something, we literally are strapping somebody down to a gurney and vaccinating them.

That used to be done in the United States a hundred years ago.

It is not the case now.

I'm Kimberly Atkinsor, and this is Justice by Design, a podcast that talks to the people who are finding solutions to real problems that we all face in our society.

You know, I talked a little bit on social media and probably on this pod and my other podcast hashtag sisters-in-law about having the flu this season. And I have to say,

I think that was the sickest I've ever been from a viral infection. And that's including

the first time I had COVID. I had a flu shot, but it still really knocked me out to the point that it took weeks

for me to fully recover. My mom, who's in our 80s, also had it and had a terrible time. And I was

grateful that at least we had some protection, which likely kept us both out of the hospital.

So that's why I was so alarmed to learn just this week that the Center for Disease Control

has canceled a meeting, their annual meeting, where they discuss which strains of the flu

should be targeted for next year's flu shot. No reason was given for canceling that

meeting according to a report by NBC. But just having just suffered from this feared for my mom's

life when she suffered from it and knowing people who have died from this year's flu just underscored

how much vaccination policy is important to us all. And I want to talk about that in this episode,

and I'm so grateful to be joined by James Hodge. James Hodge is a professor at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor School of Law.

James, thanks for joining me.

Well, it's a real pleasure, Kim.

Thanks for having me.

So before we get started and talking about vaccine policy, just introduce yourself a little to our listeners. Tell us what you do there at Arizona State

...