Kennedy's lawyer has asked the FDA to revoke its approval of the polio vaccine
Trump’s Polio Vaccine Stance Contrasts with Advisor’s Petition #
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed strong support for the polio vaccine, calling it “the greatest thing.” However, a lawyer associated with Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has filed a petition to revoke approval of the vaccine used in the United States.
The petition, filed on behalf of a nonprofit that challenges vaccine safety, asks the FDA to withdraw or suspend approval for the inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine until further safety studies are conducted.
Trump has indicated he may consider changes to some childhood vaccines, stating, “If I think it’s dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial.” However, he has consistently praised polio vaccination, emphasizing that it would take significant effort to convince him to eliminate it.
The potential HHS leader, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, has stated that while he wouldn’t take away vaccines, he believes people should have a choice informed by the best information.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, issued a warning about undermining public confidence in proven cures, calling such efforts “dangerous.”
Polio vaccination is considered one of the greatest achievements in global public health. Before the vaccine’s development in the 1950s, polio killed or paralyzed over half a million people globally each year. The advent of the vaccine has greatly reduced the incidence of the disease worldwide.
The petition focuses on the inactivated polio vaccine, which has been used in the United States for over two decades. It replaced the oral vaccine due to rare cases of vaccine-derived paralysis.
Health experts argue that the petition distorts reality by suggesting the risks of polio vaccination could outweigh the benefits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that no serious adverse events related to the inactivated polio vaccine have been documented.
The inactivated vaccine, given by injection, is considered even safer than the oral version. While it doesn’t prevent infection or transmission, it protects against the worst-case scenario by helping the immune system fight off the virus before it reaches the nervous system.
In 2023, there were 524 polio cases caused by vaccine-derived strains worldwide, down from 881 in 2022. Most of the world’s current polio cases are now caused by vaccine-derived virus in areas with inadequate vaccination coverage.