VACCINES, AUTISM, AND BLUE MARBLE HEALTH

Through the efforts of global health organizations worldwide, more than one billion people - the majority of whom live in extreme poverty -- are receiving essential medicines for neglected tropical diseases such as intestinal worm infections, schistosomiasis, elephantiasis, river blindness and others. This progress comes as many counter forces, including political conflict, shifting poverty and climate change, are accelerating the spread of these and other tropical diseases into the Middle East and parts of the southern United States and Europe. Among those forces is a novel threat: the emergence of the anti-vaccine movement, which began in the United States and Europe but is gaining ground to parts of the world where tropical diseases are most prevalent. Dr. Hotez will call for the scientific community to fight back against anti-vaccine communities through increased public engagement, a concept he calls "Science Tikkun."

A reception with light refreshments will be held at 3:30pm. The lecture will begin at 4:00pm.

This annual lecture, is supported by The Victor J. Dzau Global Health Lecture Fund, established by Dr. Dzau in 2017, as part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Matching Grant.