A letter submitted to Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd on Dec. 14:

Do you know anyone who has had polio? Probably not. I do. My brother died in 1956 at age 8 of polio after two weeks in an "iron lung" because his chest muscles no longer worked and he could not breathe on his own.

The Salk vaccine became available shortly after that and polio became a rarity, then nonexistent in this country. Do you know anyone who has had measles? Probably not. Why not? Because mandatory vaccinations have worked and are safe.

Donald Trump has put forth Robert F Kennedy Jr. as his nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK Jr. has espoused conspiracy theories, seeding public doubt about the safety of vaccinations. His stated policies waver between taking some vaccines off the market completely or making them "voluntary" while he convinces the public that they are not safe.

Making vaccines voluntary defeats their purpose, which is to protect the public and the individual. A colleague of RFK Jr. has petitioned the FDA to remove the polio vaccine from the market.

I know Trump threatens senators with being primaried if they vote against his nominees. So I ask: Are you willing to put our children at risk of sickness and death to avoid possibly losing your position of power? The Constitution instructs the Senate to advise and consent, not to grant the president any nomination he chooses. RFK Jr. represents a danger to our public health. Children will die if his policies prevail. Don't let that happen. Do not support RFK Jr. as HHS secretary.

Evan Ballard, M.D.

Elkin

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Catch the latest in Opinion

Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.