Dolan Lecture Series 2026

An evening with Bruce Gellin, MD, MPH

Professor of Medicine (Adjunct), Division of infectious Deseases, Grorgetown University School of Medicine

Senior Advisor, Georgetown University Global Health Institute

6:00-7:30 - Lecture with Q&A

Reception immediately following in the Virginia Hospital Center atrium

The Vaccine Trifecta: The Intersection of Science, Policy, and Politics

Vaccines are among modern science's greatest achievements, preventing millions of deaths globally. Investments in basic research have propelled new vaccine technologies that harness the immune system to prevent once-unavoidable diseases and complications. Historically, turning vaccines into effective programs transformed childhood: images of children paralyzed by polio or sustained by iron lungs receded into past history and museums. Before the 1960s, measles was an omnipresent childhood rite of passage, hospitalizing over 48,000 and killing 400 to 500 American children annually. By 2000, widespread immunization eliminated the fear of polio and declared measles eradicated in the United States. Today, however, safely preventable illnesses like measles and whooping cough are returning to communities nationwide as conflicting rhetoric from U.S. health officials and social media influencers confuses wary parents who simply want what is best for their children.

Vaccines sit at the crossroads of science and politics

Science delivers the empirical evidence required to build safe tools, while political forces shape how those breakthroughs are funded, distributed, and ultimately received by the public. This intersection was vividly illustrated by Operation Warp Speed, an all-hands-on-deck partnership between government, industry, and academia that yielded safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines in record time. Yet, the broader relationship between public health and politics remains highly polarized. For instance, a 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that while a 63% majority of Americans trust childhood vaccines to prevent serious illness, a sharp political divide exists, with Democrats and Democratic-leaners far more likely to express high confidence than Republicans and Republican-leaners (80% vs. 48%).

Public health crises inherently highlight this tension, as the urgent need for medical tools collides with deep debates over government policy, individual freedoms, and public trust. A changing media landscape, fragmented by social media and competing political ideologies, routinely distorts scientific findings. Because data alone cannot persuade a population, trust in government institutions, healthcare systems, and scientific organizations dictates how people react to mandates. Today, personal political identities frequently eclipse empirical data, leaving the traditional mantra of "follow the science" entangled in a web of alternative facts.

Ultimately, vaccines do not save lives—vaccination does. Global public health programs have successfully optimized the distribution, access, and physical availability of these medical achievements, but the last inch of the last mile relies entirely on public demand and acceptance. Pathogens remain completely oblivious to our political debates, media environments, or societal divides. They will continuously exploit our collective vulnerabilities until we make a unified, serious effort to reduce them.

ARRIVAL INFORMATION

All attendees who are not affiliated with Virginia Hospital Center will need to allow time to go through security and be escorted to the Conference Center. Please bring a government issued ID. We recommend arrival at 5:30.

FAQs

What are my transport/parking options getting to the event?

Parking is available for a nominal fee in the Zone C, Green Parking Garage. View a map.

Is my registration/ticket transferrable?

Yes, you may transfer your ticket. You will need to have an eventbrite account to do this.

Can I update my registration information?

Yes, again, you must have an eventbrite account.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Yes, please bring your ticket to the registration table. We won't turn you away if you forget!

What if I need help registering or attending?

Please contact us directly at committee@dolanlectureseries.org