The Year of Vaccine Backsliding

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Slate

News, Daily News, News Commentary, Politics

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today, the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee will be meeting to vote on recommendations for childhood vaccinations. But under RFK Jr.’s leadership, this committee looks much different now than it did a year ago.How is the impact from the HHS secretary being seen across America today? Guest: Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Vanta.
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0:25.1	Do security and compliance right.
0:27.0	Get started today at Vantor.com.
0:32.2	Just looking at the numbers, the Centers for Disease Controls headquarters in Atlanta
0:40.8	ought to be a ghost town right now.
0:46.0	Over the last year, the agency has lost a third of its staff.
0:51.3	During the government shutdown, the administration tried to fire hundreds more people
0:55.9	before realizing they were essential. If you scroll around, you'll find pictures of the
1:00.9	notes employees are allegedly leaving behind. Some simply present data supporting their work,
1:06.8	like 1.4 million children are living with HIV.
1:15.0	In the women's bathroom, though, messages are reportedly more pointed.
1:19.6	They include post-its that remind workers, it's okay not to be okay.
1:25.2	Despite all this, this agency is still going about its business.
1:29.0	Today, the Advisory Committee on immunization practices,
	...

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