Dozens of state anti-vaccine bills backed by 'Make America Healthy Again' supporters have failed. Public health groups won over Republican state lawmakers, marking defeats for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s backers.
The failures show limits to the MAHA coalition's political power. They aimed to pass laws against mandatory vaccinations in at least 10 states.
Pro-vaccine groups like American Families for Vaccines and the American Academy of Pediatrics lobbied against bills ending school vaccine mandates. They used polling data and personal appeals in Republican-controlled states like West Virginia, Louisiana, and Florida.
“Even though this is an increasingly partisan space, Republicans across the board are not anti-vaccine,” said Dr. Erin Abramsohn of the Infectious Disease Prevention Network.
A February Reuters/Ipsos poll found bipartisan majority support for school vaccination requirements.
Kennedy, a long-time anti-vaccine activist, removed some shots from the childhood immunization schedule. But the White House directed him not to take further steps ahead of the November midterm elections.
An HHS official said the agency does not comment on legislation.
Anti-vaccine bills have risen due to coordinated MAHA efforts. Hundreds of bills were introduced in state legislatures this year.
To convince Republican lawmakers, pro-vaccine groups cited polls showing constituent support for vaccine mandates and warned of political consequences.
In Iowa, 18 anti-vaccine bills were monitored. One would have removed vaccine requirements for school students. Over 30 organizations lobbied against it, while only two lobbied for it.
Both sides expect more debate. Leah Wilson of Stand for Health Freedom said the momentum is encouraging. Iowa's Faber noted more legislators are joining anti-vaccine caucuses.
