Peter Hotez, MD, PhD: Physician-Scientist, Pediatrician, Advocate

The development and deployment of childhood vaccines represents the most important lifesaving achievement in the last century, but the status of our protection against vaccine-preventable illness is as fragile as ever in the United States. The U.S. has experienced measles outbreaks in 2019 with 1,249 cases and in 2025 with 1,277 cases and counting. Both surges are significant, considering measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. 

An anti-vaccine movement that has steadily organized during the last two decades has fueled vaccine hesitancy among families. This movement represents an existential threat to the health of children and it is the subject of this podcast episode, which was recorded in 2019. 

Listen to a physician-scientist discuss the anti-vaccination movement 

Our guest is a physician-scientist, pediatrician and advocate we admire: Peter Hotez, MD, PhD. In this episode, we discuss his book, “Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician and Autism Dad.” 

Dr. Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. Dr. Hotez is also a University Professor at Baylor University and Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. 

In this episode, Dr. Hotez discusses: 

• His perspective as a vaccine scientist and pediatrician who has a daughter with autism 
• The repercussions of the anti-vaccination movement, including the return of measles 
• His thoughts on the low vaccination rates among some religious communities 
• The overwhelming amount of anti-vaccination propaganda and fake resources available to families 
• Ways the internet and social media allow anti-science movements to flourish 
• The need for healthcare providers to start engaging the public with accurate vaccine information 

This episode originally aired in September 2019. It was last updated in July 2025.