The “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Commission released its second report on childhood chronic diseases. In response, the American Lung Association criticized the report’s recommendations and raised concerns about actions by federal agencies that could undermine efforts to prevent chronic illness in children.
“We strongly support improving children’s health and preventing chronic diseases, but the MAHA Commission’s report undermines that very goal by questioning proven interventions like lifesaving childhood vaccinations. In addition, many of its recommendations fall short, and the solutions it does propose are being actively undermined by other administration actions, like cutting the very programs needed to implement them,” stated the American Lung Association.
The statement points out that while the MAHA report calls for research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) into air pollution’s impact on children’s health, recent administrative actions have reduced both agencies’ capacity to fulfill this mission. According to the Lung Association, “EPA’s leadership is actively eliminating EPA’s Office of Research and Development and NIH funding has been cut significantly. In addition, EPA is working to roll back critical clean air safeguards and allowing major polluters to bypass requirements that limit emissions – emissions that worsen asthma and other chronic lung conditions in children.”
The association also addressed recommendations in the report regarding vaping awareness campaigns and enforcement against illegal e-cigarette products. While agreeing these steps are important, they argue more comprehensive action is needed: “Awareness and enforcement are important, but they are not enough for the millions of people already addicted to tobacco products. Prevention and cessation programs – historically supported by the now eliminated U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Smoking and Health – are essential. And enforcement is diminished when the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products has lost staff.”
Another area of concern highlighted was skepticism toward established vaccination schedules: “The MAHA Report also puts the childhood vaccine schedule in question, which sows mistrust in the established and science-based vaccine infrastructure. In the last 50 years, vaccines have saved over 154 million lives and prevented billions of years of illness and disability. Community immunity through vaccination keeps kids in school and helps protect our most vulnerable who cannot receive certain vaccines or do not mount an adequate immune response, like infants, individuals who are immunocompromised and older adults. In addition, research suggests that RSV may be associated with the development of asthma. Vaccines are a cornerstone of public health and the mistrust sewn in this report puts children’s lives at risk.”
The American Lung Association concluded with a call for continued support for public health initiatives: “To truly improve children’s health in the U.S., we need tobacco prevention and cessation, widespread vaccination for preventable diseases, access to care, strong air pollution protections, and reliable funding for critical health programs and research. We cannot reduce childhood chronic disease while cutting the programs that prevent it.”
