SACRAMENTO, Feb. 19, 2019 – Dr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and state senator representing the Sacramento region, sent a letter to U.S. Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams calling on him to issue a call to action on vaccine hesitancy in the United States and make this crisis a public health priority.
In the letter, Dr. Richard Pan wrote:
“As a pediatrician, I counsel my patients about the importance of vaccination and the diseases they prevent, and as a State Senator, I have authored and passed state legislation to restore community immunity. However, contagious diseases do not recognize state borders or even national ones. Our nation requires your leadership to stop this attack on our nation’s health by addressing the spread of vaccine misinformation causing unwarranted vaccine hesitancy and recommending policies that restore community immunity which protects our children and the most vulnerable among us.”
The full text of the letter can be viewed here.
Dr. Richard Pan is a parent, small business owner, former UC Davis educator and pediatrician who represents Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove and unincorporated areas of Sacramento County in the state legislature and is the Chair of the Senate Health Committee. As a legislator, Dr. Pan continues to practice medicine at WellSpace Health Oak Park Community Clinic, pursuing his passion for working with families to build healthier communities.