Canada Can No Longer Rely on US Health Institutions Minister Says
OTTAWA — Canada can no longer depend on the United States as a trusted source of health and scientific guidance, according to federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel.
In a year-end interview, Michel said she no longer views U.S. health institutions as reliable partners. While she acknowledged that American agencies may still provide useful information in some areas, she stressed that Canada must now make independent decisions, particularly on vaccines.
Concerns Over US Health Leadership
Michel’s comments follow major changes to U.S. health agencies under President Donald Trump’s administration. The appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine critic, as secretary of Health and Human Services has raised serious concerns among public health experts.
In late November, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its website with content that contradicted long-standing scientific evidence showing vaccines do not cause autism. Former CDC officials later warned that vaccine safety information from the agency could no longer be trusted.
Additionally, an advisory panel selected by Kennedy recently recommended ending routine hepatitis B vaccinations for newborns. The panel is also reviewing potential changes to the broader childhood immunization schedule.
Canada Turns to Like-Minded Partners
Michel said misinformation emerging from U.S. institutions has become a major concern and has prompted Canada to strengthen ties with countries that share similar public health values.
She pointed to a federal-provincial-territorial health ministers’ meeting in October, where all provinces agreed to place vaccination at the centre of a joint statement. The communique affirmed that vaccines save lives and reduce health care costs and committed governments to coordinated action to rebuild trust and address the ongoing measles outbreak.
Experts Warn of Regional Health Risks
Canadian researchers have also raised alarms about the growing politicization of health information in the United States.
An editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in July argued that the Trump administration is dismantling key public health and research institutions. The authors, Shannon Charlebois and Jasmine Pawa, cited significant budget cuts to the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, including reductions in research on misinformation.
The editorial warned of a developing “crisis of communicable disease” across North America, stating that coordinated attacks on U.S. health agencies have severely weakened their ability to collect and share critical public health data.
Measles Outbreak Raises Alarm in Canada
The article also noted rising rates of infectious diseases in Canada, including measles. Earlier this fall, the Pan American Health Organization revoked Canada’s measles-free status, which the country had held since 1998, following outbreaks across multiple provinces lasting more than a year.
Experts attribute the resurgence to several factors, including reduced public health funding, a shortage of family doctors, and widespread vaccine misinformation. Health officials note that measles requires a vaccination rate of at least 95 per cent to maintain community immunity.
Rebuilding Trust in Public Health
Michel said declining trust in vaccines and public health authorities after the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the outbreak. She cited widespread misunderstandings about how vaccines work, combined with the rapid spread of disinformation on social media.
However, she expressed optimism that confidence in vaccine science is gradually returning in Canada.
“We have to rebuild trust,” Michel said.
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