Vaccines are among the most effective tools for protecting children from preventable diseases, yet misinformation and policy gaps are shaping the conversation across the United States.
Heidi Russell, director of the Center for Health Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute, speaks with Peter Hotez, codirector of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, and Rekha Lakshmanan, executive director of public policy at The Immunization Partnership, to examine the science behind childhood vaccines, the impact of misinformation on families, and policy approaches to improving immunization rates.
This conversation was recorded on Jan. 16, 2026.
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Clear, expert-informed conversations on child health and the policies that shape children’s lives, hosted by Heidi Russell, director of the Baker Institute Center for Health Policy.
This material may be quoted or reproduced without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The views expressed herein are those of the individual author(s), and do not necessarily represent the views of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
