We cannot undermine trust in science and evidence
As a public health professional, I am alarmed by growing efforts to undermine trust in science and evidence-based health policy— particularly fueled by public figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His repeated promotion of misinformation about vaccines, infectious disease prevention and other evidence-based interventions undermines the very systems that protect our most vulnerable residents.
The costs of this distrust are not theoretical. When individuals delay or put off care because they no longer trust the health system, the result is measurable harm: preventable hospitalizations, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and millions of dollars in avoidable health expenditures. In New Hampshire, we are already seeing strain on our public health infrastructure from rising cases of diseases that were once nearly eliminated.
History offers clear lessons. Delays in recognizing the dangers of tobacco, or in responding to HIV/AIDS, cost countless lives. Each time politics eclipsed science, lives were lost unnecessarily. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes.
Public health depends on trust, transparency, and adherence to established science. New Hampshire’s families deserve leaders and voices who will strengthen — not sabotage — the systems that keep us safe. On behalf of the public health workforce, I urge all of us to call out misinformation when we see it, defend evidence-based guidance, and work together to ensure that everyone has the information and care they need to live healthy, productive lives. If we lose trust in science, we lose the foundation of public health itself. That’s too high a price for New Hampshire to pay.