U.S. Healthcare Faces Threats From Multiple Outbreaks

Experts warn of funding cuts, vaccine hesitancy, and policy shifts.

A growing number of states across the U.S. are battling outbreaks of preventable diseases, sparking concerns among healthcare experts about the stability of public health and the well-being of communities both here and abroad.

Vaccine Hesitancy Fuels Measles Surge

An increase in measles cases, even among well-informed communities, is attributed to growing skepticism about vaccines and a lack of understanding regarding the disease’s severity. Dr. William Schaffner points out that this hesitancy arises from “not wanting anyone to tell them what to do, a lack of trust in public health, conventional medicine, and the pediatricians who care for them.” This trend is reversing decades of progress.

Funding Reductions Endanger Healthcare Access

Proposed cuts to funding for Medicaid and programs aimed at children could disproportionately harm disadvantaged populations. Experts worry that this will lead to a resurgence in disparities regarding healthcare access, undoing the progress made in eliminating differences across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. For example, a study by Georgetown University found that nearly 4 million children could lose health coverage if Medicaid is cut (Georgetown University, May 2024).

Integrity of Scientific Research at Risk

According to Dr. Ben Neuman, attempts to undermine established scientific publications pose a danger to the reliability of scientific research. Creating alternative journals could diminish the quality of science, eroding America’s standing as a leader in the scientific field.

Global Health Policies are Intertwined

Changes to American healthcare policies can trigger significant global repercussions by influencing vaccine access and disease control on a worldwide scale. Dr. Neuman warns against allowing factors like money, nationality, or religion to interfere with vaccination efforts because infectious diseases do not discriminate. A collaborative approach is vital to address the interconnectedness of global health.

Politicization of COVID-19 Vaccines

Despite endorsements from health ministries and the safe administration of millions of doses, the COVID-19 vaccine has become increasingly politicized, resulting in widespread mistrust. This mistrust complicates efforts to control the virus and to protect vulnerable populations.

PEPFAR Cuts Threaten HIV Control

Reductions in funding for PEPFAR (The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) could lead to up to 100,000 preventable deaths within a year. Dr. Jirair Ratevosian stresses that antiretroviral therapy (ART) is vital for suppressing the virus, saving lives, and preventing HIV transmission. Eliminating PEPFAR could lead to as many as 11 million new HIV infections and 3 million additional deaths by 2030.

GAVI Funding Cuts Imperil Global Vaccination

Cuts to U.S. funding for Gavi, the global vaccine program, would undermine international efforts to combat infectious diseases, as the U.S. is the largest donor. Dr. Neuman emphasizes the importance of Gavi programs in testing vaccine effectiveness in endemic areas, ensuring both safety and efficacy. “By the time an outbreak of something new gets to the United States, it has passed through many people, and it may actually be too late to do anything about it.”

Excluding Vulnerable Groups from New COVID-19 Vaccine Protocols

The latest COVID-19 vaccine distribution protocols, which focus primarily on individuals aged 65 and older, exclude vulnerable groups, including healthy children, pregnant women, and healthcare workers younger than 65. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong emphasizes the particular risk for pregnant individuals and infants under six months because of their compromised immune systems. Dr. Chin-Hong stated, “There’s a reason why we’re worried about those two populations in particular,” also stating that, “Pregnant people are relatively immune-compromised because your immune system doesn’t want to recognize the growing fetus too much. That puts them at risk for lots of other infections in general, including serious COVID. The second group is those who are under 2 years old, specifically those under 6 months. Their immune system is not mature enough, and they rely on the antibodies going across the placenta from the mother.”

Successfully addressing vaccine skepticism, restoring funding to essential programs, and ensuring equitable vaccine distribution represent crucial steps that must be taken to protect public health and to mitigate the potential damage caused by these challenges.