We, the undersigned, are compelled to address a matter of urgent public concern regarding Stanford University's decision to host the upcoming Pandemic Policy: Planning the Future, Assessing the Past conference on October 4, 2024.

This conference not only marks an unsettling alignment with the anniversary of the Great Barrington Declaration but also features speakers who have actively undermined public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Selecting Stanford as the venue, a globally renowned institution with an esteemed medical school, is a deliberate attempt to attach credibility and amplify viewpoints without scientific foundation. This decision seeks to exploit Stanford's prestige as a substitute for empirical evidence and rigorous peer review, in an exploitative, calculated effort to mislead.

The speakers form a uniform group, known for spreading misinformation under the guise of free speech. The lineup includes Eran Bendavid, Monica Gandhi, Marty Makary, Anders Tegnell, Kevin Bardosh, Sunetra Gupta, Anup Malani, Vinay Prasad, Scott Atlas, Jenin Younes, and Laura Kahn. The event, featuring an opening address by Stanford's president Jonathan Levin and concluding with a session by medical professor John Ioannidis, orchestrated by Jayanta Bhattacharya, underscores the concerning endorsement by high-level leadership.

Each speaker has promoted pseudo-intellectual theories over well-supported empirical evidence. Their collective presence at this conference aims to bolster their unfounded assertions, using the guise of martyrdom and the association with Stanford’s prestigious reputation as leverage.

It is distressing that Stanford is not only hosting this event, but their president, Jonathan Levin, is endorsing it through his participation. As a leader in education and research, he should prioritize evidence-based and balanced scientific discourse over platforming dangerously flawed theories.

At a time when vaccine hesitancy and public health misinformation have been declared global health threats by the World Health Organization, it is irresponsible and dangerous to amplify voices that propagate doubt about effective health measures and vaccines.

The potential consequences of hosting such a conference are not merely academic or theoretical; they pose real risks to public health and societal well-being. Misinformation related to COVID-19 has been directly linked to vaccine hesitancy, resulting in preventable outbreaks and deaths worldwide.

Therefore, we urge Stanford President Jonathan Levin and the university administration retract their endorsement and cancel this conference. Stanford must not be complicit in promoting scientifically unfounded and socially harmful ideas under the guise of academic freedom.

The university has a moral and civic responsibility to prioritize the health and safety of the public over controversial, divisive, and potentially destructive discourse.

We appeal to Stanford University to uphold its esteemed reputation and commitment to truth by fostering events that contribute positively to public health and knowledge, not those that threaten them. Let us stand together in demanding that our institutions serve as pillars of truth and integrity.