Vaccines: Integrity reviews, misinformation and the doctors caught in the middle

As concerns mount over the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s ability to provide reliable vaccine guidance, the nation's largest physician organization is taking matters into its own hands. The American Medical Association announced it will partner with the University of Minnesota's Vaccine Integrity Project to independently review vaccine safety and effectiveness — a striking vote of no confidence in federal health agencies.

David Dodd, CEO of vaccine developer GeoVax, says that an independent scientific review is essential to combat the flood of misinformation that's fueling vaccine hesitancy across the country. The consequences fall hardest on the most vulnerable: children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals who depend on accurate information to protect their health.

The new effort will initially focus on influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines, providing scientific assessments to state health officials and clinicians without making formal recommendations. In this interview, Dodd discusses the importance of regaining people’s trust when it comes to vaccines, how the new review group can co-exist with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and what can be done to stop misinformation about vaccines.