This is a book review of *A Pox on Fools: The Grifters and Cynics Who Want Us To Reject Vaccines* by Thomas Levenson, which examines the history of vaccine scepticism and the political dismantling of US vaccine infrastructure, with RFK Jr's leadership of HHS as its central focus.
The book documents specific policy actions since 2025, including appointment of vaccine critics to CDC advisory committees and withdrawal of ~$500 million in mRNA vaccine funding; it argues vaccine scepticism is an existential threat to public health, set against the backdrop of the largest US measles outbreak since 1991.
This is a book review, not a primary research study — no empirical data, methods, or outcomes are reported. The reviewed book itself is described as not including original interviews.
Clinicians should be aware of the accelerating erosion of US vaccine infrastructure and be prepared to counter vaccine misinformation with historical context — reminding patients of the concrete harms of vaccine-preventable diseases before outbreaks force the lesson.
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