HJNO Nov/Dec 2025

46 NOV / DEC 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS MEDICAL SOCIETY COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY AT A TIME when public health leadership at both the national and state levels has become less visible and, in some cases, actively withdrawn from promoting evi- dence-based preventive care, local phy- sician organizations are stepping into the breach. The Orleans Parish Medical Society (OPMS), together with the Jeffer- son Parish Medical Society and the Med- ical Association of Southeast Louisiana (MASELA), has launched a coordinated public health campaign to restore confi- dence in routine vaccinations. Rooted in the historical role OPMS has played since its founding in 1878 — during the yellow fe- ver epidemics — this latest effort reflects a renewed commitment to preventive med- icine, community engagement, and sci- ence-informed advocacy. “The recent national retreat from phy- sician-led, evidence-based medical ad- vice has justifiably created great concern amongst our membership,”said John Cole, MD, a locally prominent oncologist and OPMS president. “We are dedicated to im- proving the health of the patients we serve in our community. We are especially con- cerned about the effects of medical misin- formation on the most vulnerable mem- bers of our community: the elderly, the very young, expectant mothers, and those staying up-to-date with all vaccinations to prevent severe disease and prevent- able deaths,” said Jennifer Avegno, MD, an emergency physician and director of the New Orleans Health Department. “We are thrilled to partner with Physicians for Prevention and get the word out togeth- er on the proven safety and effectiveness of immunization, promote community events, and increase awareness. Doctors are respected and trusted messengers, and it’s important the public knows where we stand on evidence-based healthcare.” This campaign is launching at a partic- ularly critical moment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reorganized the Advisory Committee on Immuniza- tions Practices and has severely restricted access to COVID-19 vaccines. This politi- cally motivated move to distance CDC’s vaccine schedule from the trusted stan- dards of public health experts risks under- mining public trust. These changes have created confusion among both clinicians and the public, and have reduced access to critical vaccinations for children, old- er adults, and those with chronic health conditions. In response, the MASELA-led coalition is not only filling the information void but also countering disinformation with credible, physician-drivenmessaging. with chronic illnesses such as cancer and chronic kidney disease. We pledge to con- tinue to promote recommendations for the healthcare of our community that are based on the best available science and not on politicized, unscientific propaganda.” The initiative, Physicians for Prevention, centers on a comprehensive digital media campaign designed to reach the general public acrossmultiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. The campaign features short videos of trusted local physician leaders directly addressing the community with clear, compassionate, and factual messages about vaccine safety and efficacy. These messages are aligned with longstanding recommendations from specialty societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Physicians. The effort is being carried out in close partnership with the New Orleans Health Department, and it explicitly affirms the framework of shared decision-making be- tween patients and physicians while also rejecting political interference in clinical guidance. “Public health and clinical medicine are fully aligned on the critical importance of PHYSICIAN-LED PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCACY: Standing Up for Vaccinations in Louisiana