6 preventable health conditions likely to rise under Trump
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
I don't know what [RFK Jr.] is talking about. You can be perfectly healthy, well-nourished, and die from this virus [measles]. The 6-year-old in West Texas was perfectly healthy before that death... There’s only two ways to be immune to a virus: One is to be naturally infected, and two is to be vaccinated, [and] vaccination is always the better choice.” — Pediatrician Paul Offit, MD, Instagram interview with Katie Couric
A total of 301 cases of measles have been reported in the US as of March 13, 2025 (up from 222 recorded on March 6), according to a CDC health advisory.[] While the disease is preventable through the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, the CDC reports that most of these cases are among unvaccinated children.
A report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) says that “many Americans now express concerns about vaccine safety, fueled increasingly by misinformation circulating on social media and the false claims of public figures.”[]
This is only worsened by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who continues to emphasize "freedom of choice" regarding vaccinations (and suggested alternative treatments, like vitamin A).[]
For these reasons, the current measles situation may be just one example of a vaccine-preventable disease resurfacing in the US. Here’s what else we may need to prepare for.
HPV and cervical cancer
It's well known that certain strains of HPV can cause cervical cancer. The GARDASIL 9 vaccine is patients’ best protection against HPV, as most, if not all, members of the medical community agree.[]
However, RFK Jr. has refused to renounce his previous claim that the HPV vaccine is “dangerous and defective.” Instead, he has cited an ongoing lawsuit against Merck, alleging the company failed to disclose Gardasil’s side effects—a case he previously litigated and could profit from if Merck loses.[]
Hepatitis B, cirrhosis, and liver cancer
Vaccination against hepatitis B, a viral infection of the liver, offers just about 100% protection against the virus, and infection puts patients at high risk of death due to cirrhosis and liver cancer.[]
Any decrease in hepatitis B vaccination in the coming years will pose a serious threat to public health.
“The number of cases of liver cancer is expected to grow dramatically over the next 20 years if prevention strategies are not promoted,” the Hepatitis B Foundation recently stated.[]
Pertussis
Complications from whooping cough may include pneumonia, slowed or stopped breathing, and brain damage. Infections with this respiratory virus, while vaccine-preventable, have crept up in recent years, following a decline during the pandemic.
“But this year [2024], we’re seeing a marked increase from what we’ve seen over the past three or four years—about 15,000 cases here in the United States,” said William Moss, MD, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center, in an interview with Public Health On Call, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. These numbers are “about five times higher than what we saw last year,” Dr. Moss added.[]
Clinicians’ role in prevention
When it comes to vaccine-preventable diseases, clinicians play an integral role in protecting their patients through vaccination, especially in early childhood. In this era of misinformation and hesitancy, providers must support their patients by providing factual information and recommending vaccines.
The CAP report concludes: “With the rise in vaccine misinformation campaigns, influencers fueling hesitancy, and vaccine deniers who are likely to assume powerful political positions within the federal government, it is more critical than ever to remain focused on effective strategies to protect children from a resurgence of diseases that vaccines once eradicated and the emergence of new diseases that could threaten their health.”[]
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