President's Message, September 2026
Toni Richards-Rowley, MD, FAAP
Dear Colleagues,
As summer 2026 winds down, and fall (and pumpkin spice everything) is in the air, I wish you a happy "Back to School" season.
When I was graduating from high school in 1989, I have a distinct memory of going to my last well-child visit with my pediatrician. Apparently (unknown to me at the time) there was an outbreak of measles across middle schools, high schools, and college campuses around my country. The outbreak was among children and young adults who had only received one dose of the MMR vaccine. My pediatrician broke the news that I needed to get one last vaccine before going off to college. It wasn't yet required by my college, but it was recommended by him to my mom and me to protect me from potentially being at risk while starting my college journey. It was his "parting shot" for a soon to be "adulting" teen and many years later, I realize that it was actually an act of love.
That national measles outbreak revealed that a small percentage of the population failed to become immune to the measles from one dose of the vaccine. In 1989, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) all came out and recommended requiring a 2-dose schedule for the MMR. I was one of those children who needed the shot before I went off to college. Thinking back on that now, I can only imagine what my pediatrician was facing and his desire to protect his vulnerable patients including myself, a young person on the verge of flying far from the nest.
When I was thinking about what my PA AAP Presidency would look like, I certainly did not have the resurgence of measles on my bingo card. The newest numbers (as of 2 PM on September 2nd) show Pennsylvania having 540 total cases with 119 new cases over the past 7 days and 2 deaths.
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health, Debra Bogen, and Medical Director for the Department of Health's Bureau of Community Health Systems, Dr. Jennifer Wallace, about the Department's response to the measles epidemic in the Commonwealth. Dr. Wallace recently transitioned to a position at the Department of Health (PA DOH) to help to coordinate the state's measles response and vaccine outreach to vulnerable communities. They brough me and our PA AAP staff up to speed about the outbreak and the efforts that the state has been involved in to stem the tide of measles. They expressed dismay at how certain communities are being vilified for their vaccine and are scared for their loved ones. They emphasized that it has been a matter of ACCESS to care, not a willful desire to refuse protection, that has fueled this epidemic.
Our conversation took place the day after PA DOH announced 2 measles-related deaths. Unfortunately, this outbreak has become deadly. It is a crisis that was preventable by a simple vaccine, and it is a crisis that older, more seasoned pediatricians have faced before. In 1989-1991, Philadelphia experienced the most severe modern epidemic of the disease in the United States when over 1,400 infections occurred and 9 children died. It ravaged a city; fear was rampant and the epidemic ended only when courts ordered that it was okay to have compulsory immunizations to protect the vulnerable school children from acquiring and spreading measles.
Mark Del Monte, CEO of the AAP, often says "With crisis comes opportunity." At the time of the 1989-1991 outbreak, about 50% of Philadelphia's toddlers were unimmunized due to childhood vaccination budget cuts. The widespread outbreak led to federal support for childhood vaccination. It led to the creation of the Vaccination for Children (VFC) program in 1993, which 33 years later, provides vaccines to children with no insurance, who are underinsured, children who have Medicaid insurance, and those who are Alaska Native, or Pacific Islander. This program has been life saving for our most vulnerable populations and has benefited generations of children.
We are now faced with another crisis that provides us all with another great opportunity. An opportunity that will allow us, as pediatricians, parents, and grandparents, to emphasize the importance of facts over fears. A crisis that allows us to show how science and vaccine advancement is more powerful and beneficial than mis- and disinformation. We now have an opportunity to work with local schools, daycares, churches, and other religious leaders to create trust and bonds that hopefully will outlast this current crisis.
The concept of "Community Immunity", being our "brother's keeper", is about realizing that decisions we make as members of a community not only affects us or our children individually, but the community around us who may be susceptible to these illnesses. It is an opportunity to build bridges, in places that there may have been mistrust or fear. This is what we do every day in our offices, and I challenge you to become part of the solution.
I challenge you to look at the school vaccination dashboard that PA DOH has published and see if any of the low vaccination rate schools are in your area and if they are:
This is an opportunity to spread, by word of mouth, the availability of "Pop up" clinics that the PA DOH and individual city and county health departments are having to meet people where they are at. VFC vaccines can be used for children with no insurance. Right now is an "all hands-on deck" moment to get ahead of the tide of measles coming to a township near you.
Secretary Bogen said at the end of our discussion that PA DOH is looking at getting vaccines into children's arms as saving the community that we all live in. At this time, "Every dose counts," and for every child we can give a dose to, there is one less vulnerable child and potentially a life saved.
Best,
As summer 2026 winds down, and fall (and pumpkin spice everything) is in the air, I wish you a happy "Back to School" season.
When I was graduating from high school in 1989, I have a distinct memory of going to my last well-child visit with my pediatrician. Apparently (unknown to me at the time) there was an outbreak of measles across middle schools, high schools, and college campuses around my country. The outbreak was among children and young adults who had only received one dose of the MMR vaccine. My pediatrician broke the news that I needed to get one last vaccine before going off to college. It wasn't yet required by my college, but it was recommended by him to my mom and me to protect me from potentially being at risk while starting my college journey. It was his "parting shot" for a soon to be "adulting" teen and many years later, I realize that it was actually an act of love.
That national measles outbreak revealed that a small percentage of the population failed to become immune to the measles from one dose of the vaccine. In 1989, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) all came out and recommended requiring a 2-dose schedule for the MMR. I was one of those children who needed the shot before I went off to college. Thinking back on that now, I can only imagine what my pediatrician was facing and his desire to protect his vulnerable patients including myself, a young person on the verge of flying far from the nest.
When I was thinking about what my PA AAP Presidency would look like, I certainly did not have the resurgence of measles on my bingo card. The newest numbers (as of 2 PM on September 2nd) show Pennsylvania having 540 total cases with 119 new cases over the past 7 days and 2 deaths.
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health, Debra Bogen, and Medical Director for the Department of Health's Bureau of Community Health Systems, Dr. Jennifer Wallace, about the Department's response to the measles epidemic in the Commonwealth. Dr. Wallace recently transitioned to a position at the Department of Health (PA DOH) to help to coordinate the state's measles response and vaccine outreach to vulnerable communities. They brough me and our PA AAP staff up to speed about the outbreak and the efforts that the state has been involved in to stem the tide of measles. They expressed dismay at how certain communities are being vilified for their vaccine and are scared for their loved ones. They emphasized that it has been a matter of ACCESS to care, not a willful desire to refuse protection, that has fueled this epidemic.
Our conversation took place the day after PA DOH announced 2 measles-related deaths. Unfortunately, this outbreak has become deadly. It is a crisis that was preventable by a simple vaccine, and it is a crisis that older, more seasoned pediatricians have faced before. In 1989-1991, Philadelphia experienced the most severe modern epidemic of the disease in the United States when over 1,400 infections occurred and 9 children died. It ravaged a city; fear was rampant and the epidemic ended only when courts ordered that it was okay to have compulsory immunizations to protect the vulnerable school children from acquiring and spreading measles.
Mark Del Monte, CEO of the AAP, often says "With crisis comes opportunity." At the time of the 1989-1991 outbreak, about 50% of Philadelphia's toddlers were unimmunized due to childhood vaccination budget cuts. The widespread outbreak led to federal support for childhood vaccination. It led to the creation of the Vaccination for Children (VFC) program in 1993, which 33 years later, provides vaccines to children with no insurance, who are underinsured, children who have Medicaid insurance, and those who are Alaska Native, or Pacific Islander. This program has been life saving for our most vulnerable populations and has benefited generations of children.
We are now faced with another crisis that provides us all with another great opportunity. An opportunity that will allow us, as pediatricians, parents, and grandparents, to emphasize the importance of facts over fears. A crisis that allows us to show how science and vaccine advancement is more powerful and beneficial than mis- and disinformation. We now have an opportunity to work with local schools, daycares, churches, and other religious leaders to create trust and bonds that hopefully will outlast this current crisis.
The concept of "Community Immunity", being our "brother's keeper", is about realizing that decisions we make as members of a community not only affects us or our children individually, but the community around us who may be susceptible to these illnesses. It is an opportunity to build bridges, in places that there may have been mistrust or fear. This is what we do every day in our offices, and I challenge you to become part of the solution.
I challenge you to look at the school vaccination dashboard that PA DOH has published and see if any of the low vaccination rate schools are in your area and if they are:
- Offer to go to the school or talk with the school nurse
- Provide education to the Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
- Talk with the childcare facilities that are in YOUR community
- Partner with your local county/borough health department
This is an opportunity to spread, by word of mouth, the availability of "Pop up" clinics that the PA DOH and individual city and county health departments are having to meet people where they are at. VFC vaccines can be used for children with no insurance. Right now is an "all hands-on deck" moment to get ahead of the tide of measles coming to a township near you.
Secretary Bogen said at the end of our discussion that PA DOH is looking at getting vaccines into children's arms as saving the community that we all live in. At this time, "Every dose counts," and for every child we can give a dose to, there is one less vulnerable child and potentially a life saved.
Best,
Toni Richards-Rowley, MD, FAAP
President, PA AAP
2026-2028
President, PA AAP
2026-2028