(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D., released the following statements in response to the executive order signed today by President Donald Trump calling for major revisions to childhood vaccine recommendations:
Governor Lamont said, “The dangerous executive order signed by President Trump this afternoon lacks scientific backing, revives a discredited link between childhood vaccines and autism, and undermines public health objectives. During the most recent legislative session, I proposed and ultimately signed into law a bill that strengthens the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s authority to set immunization standards grounded in peer-reviewed science and guided by the nation’s foremost medical bodies. This executive order demonstrates why I pushed for this legislation: to ensure our public health policy is grounded in evidence, not at the mercy of political whims in Washington.”
Commissioner Juthani said, “Connecticut will continue to stand firmly behind evidence-based vaccination recommendations and the health of our children – full stop. Parents deserve clear, accurate information when making decisions about their children’s health, and that means staying grounded in science and decades of data showing vaccines are among the most effective tools we have to prevent serious illness. I encourage parents with questions or concerns to talk directly with their child’s trusted healthcare provider to ask questions, understand the benefits and risks, and make informed decisions based on the best available evidence. That is how we protect Connecticut’s children and preserve the progress we’ve made against vaccine-preventable disease.”