https://medicine.stanford.edu/news/current-news/standard-news/open-letter-from-stanford-doctors.html[*quote*]
An Open Letter from Stanford Doctors
"As infectious diseases physicians and researchers, microbiologists and immunologists, epidemiologists and health policy leaders, we stand united in efforts to develop and promote science-based solutions that advance human health and prevent suffering from the coronavirus pandemic."
The following is the text of an open letter signed by many Stanford doctors and researchers.Dear Colleagues,
As infectious diseases physicians and researchers, microbiologists and immunologists, epidemiologists and health policy leaders, we stand united in efforts to develop and promote science-based solutions that advance human health and prevent suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. In this pursuit, we share a commitment to a basic principle derived from the Hippocratic Oath: Primum Non Nocere (First, Do No Harm).
To prevent harm to the public’s health, we also have both a moral and an ethical responsibility to call attention to the falsehoods and misrepresentations of science recently fostered by Dr. Scott Atlas, a former Stanford Medical School colleague and current senior fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University. Many of his opinions and statements run counter to established science and, by doing so, undermine public-health authorities and the credible science that guides effective public health policy. The preponderance of data, accrued from around the world, currently supports each of the following statements:
● The use of face masks, social distancing, handwashing and hygiene have been shown to substantially reduce the spread of Covid-19. Crowded indoor spaces are settings that significantly increase the risk of community spread of SARS-CoV-2.
● Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 frequently occurs from asymptomatic people, including children and young adults, to family members and others. Therefore, testing asymptomatic individuals, especially those with probable Covid-19 exposure is important to break the chain of ongoing transmission.
● Children of all ages can be infected with SARS-CoV-2. While infection is less common in children than in adults, serious short-term and long-term consequences of Covid-19 are increasingly described in children and young people.
● The pandemic will be controlled when a large proportion of a population has developed immunity (referred to as herd immunity) and that the safest path to herd immunity is through deployment of rigorously evaluated, effective vaccines that have been approved by regulatory agencies.
● In contrast, encouraging herd immunity through unchecked community transmission is not a safe public health strategy. In fact, this approach would do the opposite, causing a significant increase in preventable cases, suffering and deaths, especially among vulnerable populations, such as older individuals and essential workers.
Commitment to science-based decision-making is a fundamental obligation of public health policy. The rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the US, with consequent morbidity and mortality, are among the highest in the world. The policy response to this pandemic must reinforce the science, including that evidence-based prevention and the safe development, testing and delivery of efficacious therapies and preventive measures, including vaccines, represent the safest path forward. Failure to follow the science -- or deliberately misrepresenting the science – will lead to immense avoidable harm.
We believe that social and economic activity can reopen safely, if we follow policies that are consistent with science. In fact, the countries that have reopened businesses and schools safely are those that have implemented the science-based strategies outlined above.
As Stanford faculty with expertise in infectious diseases, epidemiology and health policy, our signatures support this statement with the hope that our voices affirm scientific, medical and public health approaches that promote the safety of our communities and nation.
Philip A. Pizzo, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology and Former Dean, Stanford School of Medicine and Founding Director, Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute
Lucy Shapiro, PhD
Professor of Developmental Biology and Director, Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Upi Singh, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine) and of Microbiology and Immunology and Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases
Melissa Bondy, PhD
Professor and Chair of Epidemiology and Population Health and Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Bonnie Maldonado, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Epidemiology and Population Health Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity
Michele Barry, MD
Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Global Health and Director, Center for Innovation in Global Health and Senior Fellow, Woods Institute and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Charles Prober, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and of Microbiology and Immunology and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Health Education
David Relman, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology and Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Harry Greenberg, MD
Professor of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology and Associate Dean for Research
John Boothroyd, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Jason Andrews, MD, SM, DTM&H
Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Epidemiology and Health Policy
Julie Parsonnet, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine) and of Epidemiology and Population Health
Lee M. Sanders, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and of Health Research and Policy (Epidemiology) and Chief, Division of General Pediatrics
Ann Arvin, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology and Former Vice Provost and Dean of Research
John Carette, PhD
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
David Studdert, LLB, MPH, ScD
Professor of Law and Medicine, Stanford Health Policy, Stanford Law School
Steve Goodman, MD, MHS, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health and Associate Dean of Clinical and Translational Research
Steve Luby, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Epidemiology and Population Health and Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute
Edward S Mocarski, Jr, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Emeritus
Dylan Dodd, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology
Michelle Mello, JD, PhD
Professor of Medicine (Health Policy) and Professor of Law
Joshua Salomon, PhD
Professor of Medicine (Primary Care and Outcomes Research) and Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Abraham Verghese MD, MACP, FRCP(Edin)
Professor, Vice Chair for the Theory and Practice of Medicine
Stephen J Galli, MD
Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology and Former Chair, Department of Pathology
Ann Hsing, PhD, MPH
Professor of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center/Cancer Institute) and Epidemiology and Population Health
Manuel Ricardo Amieva, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology
Aruna Subramanian, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Chief, Immunocompromised Host Infectious Diseases Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Helen M Blau, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology
Steve Asch, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine, Primary Care and Population Health
Lorene Nelson, PhD, MA
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health and Faculty Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Dean L. Winslow, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FPIDS
Professor of Medicine – Infectious Diseases
Jason Wang, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine and of Health Research and Policy and Director, Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention
Esther John, PhD, MSPH
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and Co-leader, Population Sciences Program, Stanford Cancer Institute
Thomas C Merigan, MD
Professor of Medicine, Emeritus Former Division Chief Director, Center for Aids Research, Emeritus
Jack Remington, MD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Chief, Palo Alto Medical Research Foundation
Stan Deresinski, MD, FIDSA
Clinical Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Holden Terry Maecker, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Cybele A. Renault, MD, DTM&H
Clinical Associate Professor (Infectious Diseases) Program Lead for Global Health (Stanford Internal Medicine Residency Program)
David A. Stevens, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.A.M., F.I.D.S.A.
Professor of Medicine - Infectious Diseases, Emeritus and President, California Institute for Medical Research, Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory, Calif. Inst. for Med. Res.
Cornelia L. Dekker, MD
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Emerita
Shirit Einav, MD
Associate Professor Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology
Wah Chiu, PhD
Professor of Bioengineering and of Microbiology and Immunology
Jake Scott, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Gary K. Schoolnik, MD
Professor of Medicine - Infectious Diseases, Emeritus
Denise Monack, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Robert Shafer, MD
Professor of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Doug K Owens, MD, MS
Professor of Medicine and Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
Justin Sonnenburg, PhD
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Co- Director, Center for Human Microbiome Studies
Hector Bonilla, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Sharon Chen, MD, MS
Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Jenny R. Aronson, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Talal Seddick, MD
Clinical Assistant of Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Tim Stearns, PhD
Professor of Biology and of Genetics and Senior Associate Vice Provost for Research
Maya Adam, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Health Media Innovation
Dora Ho, MD, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Roshni Matthew, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and Associate Medical Director, Infection Prevention & Control
Catherine Blish, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine and Immunology
Clea Sarnquist, MD
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Kerwyn Casey Huang, PhD
Professor of Bioengineering and of Microbiology and Immunology
Samantha Johnson, MD, MPH
Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Marisa Holubar, MD MS
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine and Associate Director, Stanford Antimicrobial Safety and Sustainability Program
Elizabeth S. Egan, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases)
Paul L. Bollyky, MD, D.Phil
Associate Professor Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Medicine
Sruti Nadimpalli, MD
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Disease)
Michael Fischbach, PhD
Associate Professor of Bioengineering and of Microbiology and Immunology
Philip M. Grant, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Joanna Nelson, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor Department of Medicine – Infectious Diseases
Peter Sarnow, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Glenn M. Chertow, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine, and by courtesy Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, FSAHM
Professor of Pediatrics, and by courtesy Department
of Epidemiology and Population Health, Director of Fellows’ Scholarship, Department of Pediatrics, Director of Research, Division of Adolescent Medicine
A.C. Matin, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Hayley Gans
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases
Paul Graham Fisher, MD
Professor, Neurology and Pediatrics, and by courtesy, Neurosurgery, Epidemiology and Population Health, and Human Biology, Chief, Division of Child Neurology, Vice Chair, Faculty Affairs, Department of Neurology
Victor Henderson, MD
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Taia T. Wang, MD, PhD, MSCI
Assistant Professor of Medicine and of Microbiology and Immunology
Michael Baiocchi, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Lisa Goldman-Rosas, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Director, Office of Community Engagement
Tina Hernandez-Boussard, PhD, MPH, MS
Associate Professor of Medicine, Biomedical Data Science, and Surgery, and by courtesy Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Abby King, PhD
Professor, Epidemiology and Population Health, and Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center) Director, Healthy Aging Research & Technology Solutions (HARTS) Laboratory
Faculty Director, Our Voice Global Citizen Science Initiative
Past President, Society of Behavioral Medicine
Mitchell R. Lunn, MD, MAS, FACP, FASN
Assistant Professor of Medicine, and by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Mindie H. Nguyen, MD, MAS, AGAF, FAASLD
Professor, Department of Medicine, and by courtesy Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Allison W. Kurian, M.D., M.Sc.
Associate Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Epidemiology and Population Health
Associate Chief for Academic Affairs, Division of Oncology Director, Women’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, Co- leader, Population Sciences Program, Stanford Cancer Institute
Kari Nadeau, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatric Food Allergy, Immunology and Asthma, Professor of Pediatrics and Professor by Courtesy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery at LPCH and Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Michelle C. Odden, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Lorene Nelson, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health Faculty Director of Research, Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Juno Obedin-Maliver, MD, MPH, MAS
Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and, by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Lianne Kurina, PhD
Associate Professor, Primary Care and Population Health, Bing Director of the Program in Human Biology
Latha Palaniappan, MD, MS, FAHA, FACC, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
David H Rehkopf, ScD, MPH
Associate Professor, Departments of Epidemiology and Population Health, Department of Medicine, (Primary Care and Population Health), Co- director, Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Gary M. Shaw, DrPH
Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Chair Dept of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and, by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Lesley S. Park, PhD, MPH
Instructor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Associate Director, Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences
Thomas N. Robinson, MD, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics and of Medicine and, by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Julia F Simard, ScD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health
Rita A. Popat, PhD
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Kristin Sainani, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Marcia L. Stefanick, PhD
Professor of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center), Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and by courtesy Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Director, Stanford Women’s Health and Sex Differences in Medicine (WHSDM) Center
Holly Tabor, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and by courtesy, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health) and Associate Director, Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics
Robert Siegel
Professor (Teaching) of Microbiology and Immunology
Matthew Bogyo, PhD
Professor of Pathology, and of Microbiology & Immunology
Sara Singer, MBA PhD
Professor of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health), and by courtesy Graduate School of Business
Lucy S Tompkins, MD PhD
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine) Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Hospital Epidemiologist and Medical Director
Dept Infection Prevention and Control Stanford Hospital and Clinics
A. Desiree LaBeaud, MD, MS
Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and Epidemiology and Population Health
David Schneider, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Ami S. Bhatt, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Hematology; Blood & Marrow Transplantation) and of Genetics
Alice S. Whittemore, Ph.D.
Professor (Emerita) of Epidemiology
and Biostatistics, Departments of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Biomedical Data Science
View the PDF of the open letter here.
https://medicine.stanford.edu/content/sm/medicine/news/current-news/standard-news/open-letter-from-stanford-doctors/_jcr_content/main/download/file.res/Open%20Letter%20re-%20SA-final%2009-09-20%20(R7)pp%5b1%5d.pdf[*/quote*]
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