I agree. I'm a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and write to my board stating I was disappointed that they blindly followed the AAP recommendations without vetting the research themselves and appropriately doing what is best practice.
And let us never forget...on August 12, 2021, AAP's "Real Talk" tweet (which is still up) said being around masked caregivers doesn't delay babies' speech or language development. "There are no studies to support this concern," they said.
Well, of course not!!!! Never in history would any such study have been even imagined. And never since the start of covid have they allowed such studies to be done. As you've said yourself, VP, lack of a study doesn't prove or disprove anything. Especially when it's in their interest to NOT look into it.
I've been an educator for over 30 years. I have so many friends who are teachers, speech therapists, OT's, PT's, reading specialists, etc. No one thinks these educational losses are minor. The educational losses in math and reading are troubling. But the developmental losses to language, communication, and social skills in young kids could be lifelong. And devastating. It is criminal what the "letter organizations" have done.
I see the whole gender ambiguity issue as a way to normalize the effects of endocrine hormone disruptors and xenoestrogens and let the industries that put them in to the environment off the hook. The allows us to pretend that the damage caused by these factory synthesized products is 'normal' and there's nothing we can do about them -- it's just that person's 'individuality' or some other gaslighting. It's time to open our eyes and our mouths. All these aberrations are not 'normal' and they are certainly not natural nor healthy. Please note: I'm certainly not going to disrespect or 'push over the edge' anyone dealing with such concerns. I just opine that it's time to address such as something to repair & correct, not simply accept as 'the way it is'.
I left the AAP years ago over their support of things I thought was detrimental to the care of children. The fact that they said it was okay for 2 year olds to mask all day, and expect a two year old to be able to wear a “well-fitted mask” all day is ludicrous. There’s no studies showing it is safe to mask a two year old all day, none to show it is effective, and having been around kids all my life, I can guarantee there is no way they are wearing the mask properly all day long. Not going to happen, and the way they dismissed any possibility of this affecting language development or learning to read faces as not even a concern, was appalling. After their recent, again, non-science based stance that “gender-affirming” care is the only option for children who are questioning their gender, where the statement is based on misrepresentation of studies and outright misinformation, I would not give them a penny of my money ever again. And when people were understandably upset to find that many “gender affirming care” centers were offering hormones and surgery to minors, they accuse these people of violence and being terrorists, and called for the Department of Justice to investigate. I would be opposed to any violence, but opposition to obviously bad policy that is not backed by science, and could lead to irreparable harm to vulnerable teens and children, is not violent nor terroristic. I am truly saddened that an organization that was a force for good when I was in training, now is a political disaster right up there with the CDC, FDA and the NIH in no longer deserving our trust.
If the AAP is to go away, then what is to be done with the FDA, which wasn't consulted when the Biden admin purchased millions of dollars worth of bivalent boosters before they were considered by the FDA based on studying eight mice? Was that some heavyweight evidence? Seems to me that the FDA has become a rubber stamp and serves no useful purpose any more.
Savage, I love it. Peds aren't the only conferencers who teem shoulder to shoulder maskless after strongly advocating the strictest policies, I've seen it in onc, heme-onc, heck epi conferences (looking at you SER attendees) for crying out loud!
England managed to buck their PM for flaunting covid policy (I guess a few other reasons as well). Why can't we take power back from hypocrites? Are we THAT weak?
Thank you for all your well reasoned pieces on covid policies. I’m a very logical person and a veterinarian by trade. The lack of RCTs and the blind adherence to doctrine with little to no supporting evidence has broken my brain. I have administered thousands of vaccinations to animals and know that vaccines have a non zero chance of an AE, including anaphylaxis and death. Masking kids was always logically flawed. I am so thankful to have a pediatrician for my kids who has never even once brought up covid vax for my 11 and 13 year old. And I am by no means anti vax. I am even doing the HPV vax for both (one male one female.) keep up the fight. We need more voices like yours exposing all the propaganda.
All of this AND this organization is feeding the “transgender” pipeline. as well. Talk about child abuse — giving children puberty blockers and mutilating their healthy bodies, rendering them permanently sterile before they’re old enough to buy a bottle of wine… All based on VERY flimsy “evidence.”
One cannot rely on a medical professional organization that ignores the evidence and substitutes political ideology. Dangerous times for anyone who relies on evidence based facts.
Richard Pan, a Calif state representative from Sacramento and a pediatrician, co-wrote AB 2098–the bill that can revoke medical licenses from physicians who dissent from the covid narrative (which is NOT based on data) being pushed by the left. I have lost respect for many of my pediatrician colleagues.
Hear, hear, Dr Prasad. Thanks for your courage and plain speaking.
Since I'm not a Democrat, I can add [1] AAP's stance on legal gun ownership, [2] their promotion of 'gender-affirming' drugs and surgery for minors, and [3] their recent call for the arrest and imprisonment of their political opponents to the list of reasons the organization should be disbanded.
Since I'm not a Republican either, I'm skeptical of the solution you suggested in an earlier post: a non-partisan government agency, analogous to CBO, that would evaluate the impact of policy on child welfare.
In the prevailing political environment, a new government agency is much more likely to make things worse than better - even if, iike CBO, it can only issue impact findings rather than regulations.
Since I believe in radically decentralizing most government authority, I would argue (barring abuse and neglect) that the only people who should have authority over a child's welfare are their parents.
(Unfortunately, of course, abuse and neglect have been politically redefined in many jurisdictions.)
But if you get your way, let's call your new agency the Department of Youth, and put Alice Cooper in charge:
I'm a pediatrician and completely agree that the AAP does not nor should be assumed to represent the views, guidance and opinions of all its member pediatricians. Most pediatricians join during their residency (training) years and remain members, but the vast majority are not actively involved in creating or issuing these guideline statements that come from the AAP. AAP guidelines are authored by committees and not subject to voting approval by the very large membership. Dissenting opinions have been suppressed or not discussed/voted on at recent meetings. I know that myself and other colleagues have been troubled by the legitimate issues and concerns that have been so well described by Dr. Prasad.
I also 100% agree that when there is lack of good evidence, the AAP should refrain from making sweeping recommendations or at the very least the guidelines should be subject to voting approval by the entire membership, with a minimum number of responses and majority approval needed before they are finalized. it would also improve trust in the AAP if dissenting view points/opinions were also made available to the public. Similar to the Supreme court decisions, where a majority opinion, but also a dissenting opinion are released so that the public can see both sides of the decision making process.
“Join us as we gather at the El Conquistador in Phoenix, AZ for our annual CME meeting co-sponsored with the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists.”
I agree. I'm a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and write to my board stating I was disappointed that they blindly followed the AAP recommendations without vetting the research themselves and appropriately doing what is best practice.
And let us never forget...on August 12, 2021, AAP's "Real Talk" tweet (which is still up) said being around masked caregivers doesn't delay babies' speech or language development. "There are no studies to support this concern," they said.
Well, of course not!!!! Never in history would any such study have been even imagined. And never since the start of covid have they allowed such studies to be done. As you've said yourself, VP, lack of a study doesn't prove or disprove anything. Especially when it's in their interest to NOT look into it.
I've been an educator for over 30 years. I have so many friends who are teachers, speech therapists, OT's, PT's, reading specialists, etc. No one thinks these educational losses are minor. The educational losses in math and reading are troubling. But the developmental losses to language, communication, and social skills in young kids could be lifelong. And devastating. It is criminal what the "letter organizations" have done.
I see the whole gender ambiguity issue as a way to normalize the effects of endocrine hormone disruptors and xenoestrogens and let the industries that put them in to the environment off the hook. The allows us to pretend that the damage caused by these factory synthesized products is 'normal' and there's nothing we can do about them -- it's just that person's 'individuality' or some other gaslighting. It's time to open our eyes and our mouths. All these aberrations are not 'normal' and they are certainly not natural nor healthy. Please note: I'm certainly not going to disrespect or 'push over the edge' anyone dealing with such concerns. I just opine that it's time to address such as something to repair & correct, not simply accept as 'the way it is'.
I left the AAP years ago over their support of things I thought was detrimental to the care of children. The fact that they said it was okay for 2 year olds to mask all day, and expect a two year old to be able to wear a “well-fitted mask” all day is ludicrous. There’s no studies showing it is safe to mask a two year old all day, none to show it is effective, and having been around kids all my life, I can guarantee there is no way they are wearing the mask properly all day long. Not going to happen, and the way they dismissed any possibility of this affecting language development or learning to read faces as not even a concern, was appalling. After their recent, again, non-science based stance that “gender-affirming” care is the only option for children who are questioning their gender, where the statement is based on misrepresentation of studies and outright misinformation, I would not give them a penny of my money ever again. And when people were understandably upset to find that many “gender affirming care” centers were offering hormones and surgery to minors, they accuse these people of violence and being terrorists, and called for the Department of Justice to investigate. I would be opposed to any violence, but opposition to obviously bad policy that is not backed by science, and could lead to irreparable harm to vulnerable teens and children, is not violent nor terroristic. I am truly saddened that an organization that was a force for good when I was in training, now is a political disaster right up there with the CDC, FDA and the NIH in no longer deserving our trust.

If the AAP is to go away, then what is to be done with the FDA, which wasn't consulted when the Biden admin purchased millions of dollars worth of bivalent boosters before they were considered by the FDA based on studying eight mice? Was that some heavyweight evidence? Seems to me that the FDA has become a rubber stamp and serves no useful purpose any more.
Savage, I love it. Peds aren't the only conferencers who teem shoulder to shoulder maskless after strongly advocating the strictest policies, I've seen it in onc, heme-onc, heck epi conferences (looking at you SER attendees) for crying out loud!
England managed to buck their PM for flaunting covid policy (I guess a few other reasons as well). Why can't we take power back from hypocrites? Are we THAT weak?
Thank you for all your well reasoned pieces on covid policies. I’m a very logical person and a veterinarian by trade. The lack of RCTs and the blind adherence to doctrine with little to no supporting evidence has broken my brain. I have administered thousands of vaccinations to animals and know that vaccines have a non zero chance of an AE, including anaphylaxis and death. Masking kids was always logically flawed. I am so thankful to have a pediatrician for my kids who has never even once brought up covid vax for my 11 and 13 year old. And I am by no means anti vax. I am even doing the HPV vax for both (one male one female.) keep up the fight. We need more voices like yours exposing all the propaganda.
All of this AND this organization is feeding the “transgender” pipeline. as well. Talk about child abuse — giving children puberty blockers and mutilating their healthy bodies, rendering them permanently sterile before they’re old enough to buy a bottle of wine… All based on VERY flimsy “evidence.”
One cannot rely on a medical professional organization that ignores the evidence and substitutes political ideology. Dangerous times for anyone who relies on evidence based facts.
There was an existing recommendation against too much screen time, but when remote school came along, it was ignored.
Richard Pan, a Calif state representative from Sacramento and a pediatrician, co-wrote AB 2098–the bill that can revoke medical licenses from physicians who dissent from the covid narrative (which is NOT based on data) being pushed by the left. I have lost respect for many of my pediatrician colleagues.
Hear, hear, Dr Prasad. Thanks for your courage and plain speaking.
Since I'm not a Democrat, I can add [1] AAP's stance on legal gun ownership, [2] their promotion of 'gender-affirming' drugs and surgery for minors, and [3] their recent call for the arrest and imprisonment of their political opponents to the list of reasons the organization should be disbanded.
Since I'm not a Republican either, I'm skeptical of the solution you suggested in an earlier post: a non-partisan government agency, analogous to CBO, that would evaluate the impact of policy on child welfare.
In the prevailing political environment, a new government agency is much more likely to make things worse than better - even if, iike CBO, it can only issue impact findings rather than regulations.
Since I believe in radically decentralizing most government authority, I would argue (barring abuse and neglect) that the only people who should have authority over a child's welfare are their parents.
(Unfortunately, of course, abuse and neglect have been politically redefined in many jurisdictions.)
But if you get your way, let's call your new agency the Department of Youth, and put Alice Cooper in charge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4pqtGCKRlU
I'm a pediatrician and completely agree that the AAP does not nor should be assumed to represent the views, guidance and opinions of all its member pediatricians. Most pediatricians join during their residency (training) years and remain members, but the vast majority are not actively involved in creating or issuing these guideline statements that come from the AAP. AAP guidelines are authored by committees and not subject to voting approval by the very large membership. Dissenting opinions have been suppressed or not discussed/voted on at recent meetings. I know that myself and other colleagues have been troubled by the legitimate issues and concerns that have been so well described by Dr. Prasad.
I also 100% agree that when there is lack of good evidence, the AAP should refrain from making sweeping recommendations or at the very least the guidelines should be subject to voting approval by the entire membership, with a minimum number of responses and majority approval needed before they are finalized. it would also improve trust in the AAP if dissenting view points/opinions were also made available to the public. Similar to the Supreme court decisions, where a majority opinion, but also a dissenting opinion are released so that the public can see both sides of the decision making process.
Cancel your membership, starve the beast.
There is an alternative organization.
The American College of Pediatricians. Their Annual Meeting is this coming February 10-12, 2023.
https://acpeds.org/
“Join us as we gather at the El Conquistador in Phoenix, AZ for our annual CME meeting co-sponsored with the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists.”
You're SO close, Dr. Prasad. Just a little bit more.
Best comment! LOL