Vaccine skeptic to become Louisiana surgeon general | News

Gov. Jeff Landry has appointed Evelyn Griffin, a doctor who has worked on maternal mortality and voiced skepticism about vaccines, to be Louisiana’s next surgeon general.

“Her clinical experience, her leadership in advancing maternal health, and her dedication to strengthening the doctor-patient relationship make her the exact right choice for this role,” Gov. Jeff Landry said in a release Monday announcing Griffin’s appointment. “With Dr. Griffin stepping in, I’m confident Louisiana is in good hands and headed toward a healthier, stronger future.”

Griffin is a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, the top vaccine advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She was appointed to the committee by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has campaigned against vaccines.

Last week, ACIP voted to end a three-decade-old recommendation that all infants get the Hepatitis B vaccine and instead issue weaker guidance for some newborns. Griffin supported that decision.

The decision enraged many in the medical community, including U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is a medical doctor. He said the rate of Hepatitis B infections among infants dropped dramatically after the birth dose recommendation was introduced. “This makes America sicker,” he said of the ACIP vote.

In a news release announcing her appointment, Landry’s office said Griffin’s “work included a focus on reducing maternal morbidity and mortality.” In recent years, Louisiana’s maternal mortality rate, which has been ranked as the fifth-highest in the nation, has caused alarm, as has its high infant mortality rate. In 2020, infants died at nearly twice the rate as those in other states.

Griffin replaces Ralph Abraham, who recently left the statewide post to take a top position at the CDC. He drew scrutiny for his decision to end mass vaccination campaigns in the state and for casting doubt over COVID-19 vaccines.

Griffin praised Abraham’s leadership in a statement about her appointment.

“The outstanding leadership of Dr. Ralph Abraham, his dedication, vision, and steady guidance have shaped the Surgeon General Office that I now have the privilege to build upon,” she said. “I am committed to safeguarding the integrity of the patient-doctor relationship by upholding informed consent and respecting individual rights.”

As surgeon general — a new position created by Landry’s administration — Griffin will be responsible for guiding health policy in the state.

Griffin has repeatedly questioned the COVID-19 vaccine, though medical consensus says the vaccine lowers the risk of significant illness from the virus and saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am very, very skeptical,” Griffin told a church congregation in 2024. “For a lot of us, the COVID experience has really opened our eyes. You know that I have a lot of concerns. One of those concerns, I would say, is about the COVID vaccine.”

In a December 2021 meeting of the Louisiana House Committee on Health & Welfare, Griffin questioned the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, noting that doctors in the 1950s said smoking was safe.

“I am vaccinated, however I do not believe in cookie cutter medicine or mandates, especially for new therapeutics,” Griffin said.

The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe in most instances, the CDC said in previous statements before changing its guidance this year under Kennedy.

In a 2023 Louisiana Senate Health & Welfare Committee meeting, Griffin also testified in support of a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Griffin is an obstetrician-gynecologist. She attended the Ross University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, according to Landry’s office. She is one of the first robotically-trained gynecologic surgeons in the region, it said.

On Monday, Landry’s office and the Louisiana Department of Health did not provide further details about Dr. Griffin’s experience working on maternal morbidity and mortality. A spokesperson for the latter agency said Griffin was not available for an interview.

Griffin is a native of Poland. Her family immigrated to Canada, where she grew up. She moved to Baton Rouge with her husband after college.