David Higgins, MD, MPH
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drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH
@drhigginsmd.bsky.social
2K followers 330 following 340 posts

Pediatrician | Public health specialist | Immunization delivery researcher | Dad | Views my own | Writing Community Immunity on Substack

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This is a list of minor-planet discoverers credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of one or several minor planets. As of January 2022, the discovery of 612,011 numbered minor planets are credited to 1,141 astronomers and 253 observatories, telescopes or surveys (see § Discovering dedicated institutions). .. more

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drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 7d
I discussed this on the @sciencevs.bsky.social podcast here: open.spotify.com/episode/1hjh...
Vaccines: Does Europe Do Them Better?
open.spotify.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 7d
Preventing more diseases is a success, not a failure.
This shouldn’t be controversial.

open.substack.com/pub/communit...

#Vaccines ##PreventDisease

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 9d
New 📰 The U.S. is being called a vaccine “outlier.” But why is that assumed to be bad?

Also: changes to a key federal advisory commission, flu policy during a severe season, and ethics concerns in a halted hepatitis B study in Africa.

Read here:
🔗 communityimmunity.substack.com/p/the-proble...
The Problem With Calling the U.S. an Outlier on Vaccines
And why a little-known commission, a severe flu season, and a hepatitis B vaccine study in Africa deserve attention
communityimmunity.substack.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 10d
www.federalregister.gov/documents/20...
Meeting of the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces that the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV) has scheduled a public meeting. Information about ACCV and the ag...
www.federalregister.gov

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 10d
HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel www.statnews.com/2026/01/13/h... via @statnews.com
HHS dismisses member of vaccine injury advisory panel
RFK Jr. is considering changes to the federal vaccine injury compensation program.
www.statnews.com

Reposted by David Higgins

cidrap.bsky.social
CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · 12d
States, health organizations reject new CDC vaccine guidance

A growing number of states are pushing back against sweeping changes to the US childhood vaccine schedule.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/p...

Reposted by Gerald Friedman

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 15d
Read my @medpagetoday.com op-ed on recent U.S. vaccine policy changes framed as “restoring trust.” The gap between that idea and reality is striking. Trust comes from clarity, evidence, and consistency.

www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

#Vaccines #PublicHealth
@gfriedma.bsky.social
Opinion | Parents Are Confused. I'm Worried for My Pediatric Patients.
The consequences of rewriting the pediatric vaccine schedule
www.medpagetoday.com

Reposted by David Higgins

accordsresearch.bsky.social
ACCORDS @accordsresearch.bsky.social · 18d
TOMORROW! Join us for an informational webinar about the D&I Science Graduate Certificate Program. Register at ucdenverdata.formstack.com/forms/dicert...
#ImpSci #CUAnschutz
calendar.cuanschutz.edu

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to publish an evidence-based immunization schedule designed to protect children’s health and reflect what is best for children. Ironically, that evidence-based AAP schedule is now the “alternative” to the CDC’s.

#Vaccines #ChildHealth #VaccinePolicy

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
@Parents: trust your pediatrician.

We will continue to provide clear, honest, evidence-based guidance focused on your child’s best interests, as we have for over a century. We’re committed to helping families make truly informed vaccination decisions, despite efforts to undermine that trust.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
In my view, this reckless move risks harming children and fits a decades-long effort to undermine confidence in vaccines and dismantle the U.S. vaccination system.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
There was also no meaningful opportunity for public or independent expert input before rewriting a schedule that protects nearly every child in the U.S.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
This shift is based on an internal review, not the usual open, rigorous process with public and independent expert input.

There was no analysis of real-world impact on children and families:
• hospitalizations
• cancers
• disabilities
• preventable deaths

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 19d
🚨 The U.S. childhood vaccine schedule is being rewritten.

The New York Times reports that RFK Jr./HHS/CDC are shifting routine vaccines into “individual decision-making,” cutting routine protection from 17 diseases to 11.

🔗 www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/h...
Kennedy Scales Back the Number of Vaccines Recommended for Children
www.nytimes.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 26d
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/communit...
Why I Write
A Reluctant Year of Writing in Public About Vaccines, Evidence, and Trust
open.substack.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · 26d
Writing publicly and being in the spotlight isn’t my default setting.

📰 This week’s Community Immunity is a reflection on why I write publicly about vaccines, evidence, and trust, and what it takes to sustain this work.

Reposted by David Higgins

cidrap.bsky.social
CIDRAP @cidrap.bsky.social · Dec 23
The nearly 80-year-old law that could hamper RFK Jr.’s drive to remake vaccine schedule

Legal experts say Kennedy needs to follow established legal procedures to prevent any policy changes from being dismissed by a judge.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/c...

Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr cc

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
Removing universal protections would increase disease, disrupt vaccine supply and access (especially combination vaccines), threaten Medicaid and VFC coverage, raise clinician liability risk, and create chaos for families, clinics, and schools.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
The U.S. isn’t an outlier among peers—many high-income countries (Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain) use similar routine schedules.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
“Fewer vaccines” isn’t a public-health goal. What matters is fewer illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths, disabilities, missed work and school, and financial burdens.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
The predictable result is fewer children getting vaccinated on time and a rise in preventable illnesses, hospitalizations, disabilities, suffering, and deaths, along with missed school and work, and high costs to families and communities. This would not make America healthier.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
Denmark’s narrower schedule works because it is embedded in a very different system: universal health care, paid parental leave, centralized vaccine financing and supply, national coverage monitoring, and a smaller, more homogeneous population. The U.S. does not have those conditions at scale.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
National vaccine schedules cannot be copy-pasted.

This is dangerous vaccine policy. The confusion and disruption would be immediate.

As I told WaPo, "I have never been more concerned about the future of vaccines and children’s health than I am now.”

1/6🧵

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/h...
R.F.K. Jr. Likely to Swap U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule for Denmark’s
www.nytimes.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 19
Yes! I will recommend what is best for the health of my patients. Period.

Reposted by David Higgins, Lisa Diedrich

publichealthguy1.bsky.social
public health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · Dec 19
@drhigginsmd.bsky.social: "many clinics and pediatricians will simply say they don’t recommend the Denmark schedule, which will worsen parental confusion. School vaccination requirements are set by state laws, and most require some of the vaccines that aren’t on the Denmark schedule" 🎁
Under RFK Jr., U.S. plans to stop recommending most vaccines, defer to doctors
The plan, which is not finalized, suggests children get fewer shots and shifts to a model telling parents to consult doctors to make their own vaccine choices.
wapo.st

Reposted by David Higgins

caulfieldtim.bsky.social
Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · Dec 18
Petty infantile vengeance vs objective science?

Are we surprised MAGA/MAHA has embraced science-free rage? So on-brand. Still unbelievable.

American Academy of Pediatrics loses HHS funding after criticizing RFK Jr. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/... cc @ameracadpeds.bsky.social
American Academy of Pediatrics loses HHS funding after criticizing RFK Jr.
HHS cuts key AAP grants, citing concerns about “identity-based language” and insufficient focus on agency priorities. The organization said the cuts could harm child health.
www.washingtonpost.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 16
It also takes a closer look at a little-noticed federal meeting, scheduled on a very unusual timeline, with potentially big implications for vaccines.

🔗 communityimmunity.substack.com/p/the-proble...
The Problem Isn’t Shared Decision-Making. It’s How the ACIP Is Using It.
Why turning routine vaccine recommendations into “individual decision-making” undermines evidence-based guidance
communityimmunity.substack.com

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 16
“Shared decision-making” is being invoked more and more in federal vaccine guidance.

That doesn’t mean everyone is using it the same way.

Today’s Community Immunity looks at what shared decision-making is—and what it isn’t—especially when it comes to vaccine policy.

drhigginsmd.bsky.social
David Higgins, MD, MPH @drhigginsmd.bsky.social · Dec 16
If there’s a misperception that vaccine hesitancy is extremely high, it creates real risk at the policy and clinician level. My thoughts on this are in Medical Economics.

#VaccineConfidence
#PublicHealth
#HealthPolicy

www.medicaleconomics.com/shorts/risk-...
Risk of misperceptions about vaccine hesitancy | Medical Economics
If there is a misperception about high rates of vaccine hesitancy in patients, that creates risk at the policy level and at the physician level. David Higgins, MD, MPH, FAAP, explains.
www.medicaleconomics.com