September 18, 2025

(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)  — Today, 314 Action held a virtual press conference ahead of the first ACIP meeting today, spotlighting the dangers of RFK Jr.’s hand-picked panel set to roll back childhood vaccine guidance nationwide. 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton was joined by Hawaii Governor Dr. Josh Green and doctors running for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House: Dr. Annie Andrews (SC-SEN), Dr. Thomas Fisher (IL-07), Dr. Dave Oxman (PA-03), and Dr. Tina Shah (NJ-07).

The speakers warned how RFK Jr. and his anti-vax panel are destroying public health and what will happen if childhood vaccines regulations are weakened. Excerpts from their remarks are below:

Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action

“RFK Jr. is not looking to establish the gold standard for medical research or medical or scientific research in this country. He’s continuing his multi decade campaign against safe and effective vaccines, which are very dangerous to the health and future of particularly children, but really all of us in this country. Vaccines work. They’ve been proven to be safe and effective.”

Governor Dr. Josh Green, Hawaii Governor

“I don’t like seeing this in some ways because they forced us into a position that looks as though Americans are divided. But really, the division lies in those who would just deny science. And we, as leaders and policy-makers, that believe in science have always been together…It will be, though, a distraction and some people will get confused. That’s one of the challenges. When confidence gets undermined or there’s some confusion, you lose a margin of the people who would get vaccinated.”

Dr. Annie Andrews, candidate for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina

“RFK Jr. systematic dismantling of our nation’s public health infrastructure, including deliberate attacks on the childhood vaccination schedule, will lead to more preventable illness, suffering and death in children. The fact of the matter is, what RFK Jr. and the sham ACIP committee is doing is anti-science and anti-health. This will make America sicker.”

Dr. Thomas Fisher, candidate for Illinois 7th Congressional District

“Vaccines are about protecting ourselves and our lives, but it’s also about protecting our loved ones, our communities, our children, those who can’t protect themselves. With misinformation and the erosion of our public health infrastructure, we have less quality information and less research that helps us to understand the best ways to protect ourselves. This can’t stand.”

Dr. Dave Oxman, candidate for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District

“The overwhelming majorities of Americans like vaccines [and] don’t want any changes, but these people are going to try to keep doing their dirty work wherever they can to sow doubt and make people think twice about the safety and or efficacy of vaccines.”

Dr. Tina Shah, candidate for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District

“America is in critical condition. Vaccines are a crowning jewel in the history of modern medicine. Cutting corners on vaccines and undermining trust in science might look like a way to save money to Trump and RFK Jr., but let me be clear, the way they save money is by letting people die. That’s not leadership. That’s straight negligence.”

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