Researchers and stakeholders across the state discussed the impact of vaccines in Texas — and the lessons learned over the past two years as policymakers look ahead to the 88th Texas legislative session, which started in January 2023. They also considered ways to uncouple vaccines from politics and how to effectively advocate for policies that can improve access to vaccines for those who need them most. 

The symposium included two panels that discussed vaccine costs, equity, misinformation and stakeholder concerns about public health. Following the panels, Dr. Peter J. Hotez, an internationally recognized vaccine scientist at the Baylor College of Medicine and the Baker Institute fellow in disease and poverty, provided a keynote address.