“The New York Times published a critical portrayal of Dr. Kirk Milhoan, Chair of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, highlighting his commitment to shared decision-making—an approach grounded in respect for patient autonomy and the long-standing ethical tradition of collaborative care between physicians and those they serve.” – Dr. Joseph Varon
The Independent Medical Alliance (IMA), a national network of independent physicians, healthcare professionals, and medical researchers, today released the following statement from President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Varon, in response to the New York Times attack news story on Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Chairman and IMA Senior Fellow Dr. Kirk Milhoan.
“The New York Times has published a hit piece on Dr. Milhoan for holding a truly radical position in modern medicine: that patients and doctors should decide medical care together. This apparently now qualifies as extremism.
“The implication from the Times is clear: everyone, everywhere, should get every shot. No nuance. No individual circumstances. No dissent. When it comes to vaccines, diversity of biology, risk, age, sex, and circumstance is dismissed entirely.
“Dr. Milhoan is an accomplished pediatric cardiologist and former U.S. Air Force physician who believes the Constitution protects citizens from government intrusion into personal medical decisions. The Times treats this position as scandalous, as though belief in individual liberty were a rogue ideology rather than the foundation of American law.
“To be clear, Dr. Milhoan is not anti-vaccine. He does not deny the success of the polio or smallpox vaccines. He is not calling for bans, rollbacks, or mass refusals. He is simply saying something far more dangerous to centralized power: that patients should decide, in consultation with their doctors.
“The Times also noted that ‘Milhoan seemed to approach the committee’s work from his perspective as a medical doctor, rather than as a champion of public health.’ That’s exactly how it should be.”
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