Senate Hearing on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Earlier this week the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing to discuss the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. Although the conversation largely centered on the recent domestic measles outbreak, the hearing provided an opportunity to discuss the role global immunization programs play in protecting Americans from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Shot@Life attended the hearing with our United Nations Foundation colleagues where immunization specialists from CDC and health professionals reiterated that diseases like measles, whooping cough, and polio are just a plane ride away.

Questions were raised over why access to vaccines in developing countries is still a problem and what is being done to meet those needs. Our UN partners as well as the Measles and Rubella Initiative and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, were highlighted as playing a key role in ensuring that children globally are fully protected. The hearing and the subsequent continuation of the conversation comes at a critical time as Congress’s budget for the next fiscal year and support for global health programs are being decided.

This is an important time in the fight against measles everywhere. Shot@Life is committed to stopping the spots. You can help raise awareness by sending letters to the editors of your local newspapers. Take action!