How the New Surgeon General Is Addressing the Anti-Vaxx Movement

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has been gently fighting anti-vaccine fears during a cross country listening tour.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: US President Barack Obama introduces Surgeon General Vivek Hallegere Murthy during an event in the East Room at the White House, January 30, 2015 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to highlight investments that improve health and treat disease through precision medicine.
Photographer: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

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By Arit John

February 3, 2015 at 11:59 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

As politicians with various levels of relevant medical experience weigh in on vaccines, now would be a good time for the nation's Surgeon General to set the record straight. After 17 months without a top doctor, Congress finally confirmed Dr. Vivek Murthy to the job, but he's been noticeably absent from the national stage.

As Charles Gaba, a Michigan blogger best known for predicting Obamacare enrollments, noticed, something seemed to be missing from the Surgeon General's website amid all the news of a national measles outbreak and the commentary generated by a number of likely presidential candidates over their support of vaccination, in general.