New Podcast Available: Episode 61 – The Evidence for Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness with Dr Yvonne Maldonado (November 18, 2025)

In episode 61 of Going anti-Viral, Dr Yvonne Maldonado joins host Dr Michael Saag to discuss the evidence for vaccine safety and effectiveness. Dr Maldonado is a Professor in the Stanford University School of Medicine where she has achieved national and international recognition for her scholarship in the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases. She has served on several national and international committees including, until recently, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Dr Maldonado and Dr Saag provide an overview of how vaccines work and discuss where aluminum adjuvants are used in vaccines and address the validity of “anti-vax” claims about the use of aluminum in vaccines. Dr Maldonado emphasizes the crucial role of vaccination, particularly the measles vaccine, as a key indicator of public health and discusses the high infectiousness of measles and its implications for community safety, especially for children and immunocompromised individuals. Dr Maldonado advocates for a social contract where individuals take responsibility for the health of others through vaccination, highlighting the need for well-planned immunization schedules. Dr Saag and Dr Maldonado also discuss current recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine, its safety, and whether pregnant women and infants should receive the vaccine. Finally, Dr Saag and Dr Maldonado discuss the work of public health in the future and the importance of communicating the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.