How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants To Transform Public Health

Evelyn Griffin's journey into public health became profound after she testified against Louisiana's plan to add COVID-19 vaccines to the school immunization schedule. The state health department was pushing for this unprecedented move, despite vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warning that the vaccine was "the deadliest ever made."

Griffin, who is an OB-GYN, relied on similar visuals during her testimony. She expected Kennedy's claims to spark public debate, but instead, one news outlet dismissed him as a purveyor of propaganda. This experience made Griffin realize the power dynamics in public health, leading her and her vascular surgeon husband to take action.

Kennedy, now the nation's health secretary, appointed Griffin to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the federal panel that advises on immunization policy. During her tenure, she voted to recommend limiting access to COVID-19 vaccines and ending universal newborn immunizations for hepatitis B, steps that a federal judge has since blocked.

In December, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a conservative Republican, appointed Griffin as the state's surgeon general, making her the top public health physician in the state.

Despite her lack of background in infectious diseases or public health, Griffin has shown ambition in her role. She aims to transform Louisiana's healthcare system by focusing on disease prevention rather than just treatment. However, she has yet to make significant changes at the health department. She has faced opposition in her efforts to tighten vaccine access and limit public health powers, with legislators rejecting several bills she proposed.

Some experts warn that if Griffin succeeds in curtailing the state's authority, it could lead to increased illnesses and deaths, hindering the state's ability to respond to future pandemics.

Griffin's background is unique and has shaped her perspective on healthcare. Born in Communist Poland in 1976, her family fled to Austria as refugees and later immigrated to Canada. They eventually moved to the United States when she was a young girl. Griffin has credited her family's experience with giving her a different perspective, including a skepticism of government mandates.

She met her husband, Joseph Griffin, during their medical education and began exploring alternative health approaches, such as functional medicine, in recent years.