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The next is the transcript of the interview with Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Feb. 8, 2026. Dr. Gottlieb additionally sits on the boards of Pfizer and United Well being Care.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to former FDA commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb. He’s additionally on the board of Pfizer and United Healthcare. Dr Gottlieb, welcome again.
DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB: Thanks.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve gotten a historical past of creating correct predictions which might be additionally terrifying on this program, and it was round this time final yr that you simply stated you have been very involved in regards to the measles outbreak and that it will unfold. You are proper. In South Carolina, about 900 reported instances, largest outbreak since measles was declared eradicated. You bought out in Disneyland in California, two instances. Right here in DC, instances detected. Ought to we keep away from mass gatherings? How involved ought to we be?
DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB: Look, I do not suppose we ought to be nervous about mass gatherings at this level. I believe that that is going to worsen sadly, earlier than it resolves. Final yr, we had 2000 instances. This yr thus far, now we have 750 instances reported. It should be so much greater by the tip of the yr. I believe that is going to be a protracted cycle proper now. Should you take a look at the people who find themselves getting contaminated with measles, nearly all of individuals are between the ages of 5 and 17. They are not toddlers, and we’re seeing vaccination charges decline amongst toddlers, actually, as a part of a broader motion away from pediatric vaccines on this nation, as these toddlers age into faculty age settings, the scope of the measles outbreaks are going to proceed to escalate on this nation. Should you suppose again to the early Nineteen Nineties, 1991 there have been about 25,000 instances of measles. 1992 we had about 10,000. Vaccination charges had declined within the Nineteen Nineties solely about 88% of Individuals youngsters have been vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. Proper now it is about 90% however in a few of the states the place you are seeing these outbreaks, the speed is as little as 81% in Alaska. 88% in quite a few states which might be having outbreaks proper now. So we’re beginning to get all the way down to decrease ranges, and I believe that is going to proceed to say no. And once more, as these youngsters who do not get vaccinated age into faculty age settings, they’ll begin spreading broader and bigger outbreaks. So I believe this can be a lengthy cycle, particularly now that this has gotten embedded in political psyche on this nation. I believe this can be a generational change.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, nicely, and people, these percentages you level out are necessary as a result of we’re beneath herd immunity. And as I perceive it, it is not simply america, Britain, Canada, Spain, quite a few European and Central Asian international locations misplaced their measles elimination standing. This can be a international anti-vaccine motion, it will appear.
DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB: Look, I believe that that is proper. And I believe lots of this comes out of the Covid pandemic, the place individuals felt compelled to take vaccines that that they had hesitations round by state motion. I believed that was a mistake on the time. I nonetheless suppose its mistake we talked about on this present that may breed an anti-vaccine backlash. And I believe that is what we’re seeing, and it is given voice to lots of people who’re anti-vax from the outset, who at the moment are gaining political resonance and beginning to drive lots of the coverage agenda, together with on the Division of Well being and Human Companies. So the scope of those goes to proceed to develop. It is not simply MMR, it is diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis as nicely. We’re seeing pertussis outbreaks on this nation. These are going to proceed to develop. So we’re in a protracted cycle proper now, and I believe it is necessary that we proceed to coach individuals in regards to the significance of those vaccines, particularly the MMR vaccines. Measles may be very contagious, and as you stated, the herd immunity fee is about 95% vaccination in a neighborhood in sure pockets of this nation, we’re nicely beneath that. You take a look at some states, there’s pockets as communities the place their vaccination fee is about 70% and in order that’s the place you are seeing the outbreaks, notably in South Carolina, Texas, Florida has an outbreak proper now. There’s been massive outbreaks in Utah and Arizona as nicely. Arizona had 250 instances. Utah, about the identical.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There was a listening to this week with Dr Jay Bhattacharya. He is the NIH director. He did say individuals ought to get their measles shot. However he was pressed about vaccines, and he was testifying beneath oath, and here’s what he stated.
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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Do vaccines trigger autism? Inform that to the American individuals, sure, no.
JAY BHATTACHARYA: No, I don’t imagine that the measles vaccine causes autism.
SEN. SANDERS: I did not ask measles. Do vaccines trigger autism?
JAY BHATTACHARYA: For- I’ve not seen a examine that means any single vaccine causes autism.
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MARGARET BRENNAN: I performed these remarks as a result of I believe it is necessary to listen to them immediately. The director claimed the subsequent day in a social media submit that he was mischaracterized and that he is absolutely aligned with Secretary Kennedy on discovering the foundation reason for autism. Why is the messaging so muddled right here? Is it that political embeddedness you talked about?
DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB: Look, I believe lots of the appointed officers within the sdministration who work for Secretary Kennedy are reluctant to buck the secretary on this and the secretary has been a protracted standing anti-vaccine advocate. He actually led the cost all through the final 20 years for the anti vaccine motion, and now that he is in that place, he is capable of give far more voice to it and embed it in official coverage. You understand, Jay’s feedback there have been very fastidiously worded. He stated no single vaccine causes autism. The one vaccine that is been studied, as he identified in his Twitter submit extensively is- is the MMR vaccine. So he backed away from these feedback the subsequent day, I believe as a result of he and lots of different officers are reluctant to buck the secretary. Mehmet Oz this morning was chatting with this situation, and he was very clear, and that is what I might count on of him. He is an excellent doctor. He was very clear on the significance of getting the MMR vaccine. I believe it is necessary that extra officers step ahead with these very clear messages.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve gotten an op-ed speaking about your private expertise with most cancers, and also you hyperlink it to previous an infection with a virus. Are you able to clarify that?
DR. SCOTT GOTTLIEB: Yeah, look, I believe a big a part of the anti-vaccine dogma, if you’ll, is that these infections aren’t that critical to start with, and due to this fact any danger theoretical or precise from the vaccines themselves is not price it. It is not price taking the vaccine to mitigate a virus that in and of itself is incidental. That is not true. I had Epstein-Barr Virus. It led to the event of a B cell lymphoma. We all know that HSV-1 is related to Alzheimer’s illness. Enterovirus is related to sort one diabetes. We now imagine EBV virus is related to a number of sclerosis and could also be a causative consider lupus as nicely. So viruses do have long run sequela.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, Dr. Gottlieb, it is an necessary learn and one other good level. Thanks on your time right now. We’ll be proper again.
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