Louisiana's surgeon general will no longer promote mass vaccination."

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In a surprising announcement, Louisiana's surgeon general announced late Thursday that the state health department "will no longer promote mass vaccination."

In a memo to staff members, Dr. Ralph Abraham described vaccines as "one tool in a toolbox" to combat severe illness and that conversations about specific vaccines are best held between an individual and their health care provider.

It comes on the heels of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation to lead the Department of Health & Human Services under President Donald Trump. Kennedy has spread unfounded claims about vaccines, including that they cause autism and that certain vaccines are "dangerous."

Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccinologist and co-director of The Atria Research Institute -- which focuses on disease prevention -- described the policy change as "anti-science" and said there is good public health research data to support mass vaccination.