Petition to NASPGHAN Leadership

Urgent Request to Withdraw Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta's Keynote Invitation at the 2026 NASPGHAN Annual Meeting

Dear NASPGHAN Leadership,

We, the undersigned members of NASPGHAN, are writing to express our deep concern regarding the selection of Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta to deliver the “William F. Balistreri Keynote Lecture” at the 2026 NASPGHAN Annual Meeting.

Dr. Bhutta has publicly written that the October 7, 2023 massacre staged by Hamas terrorists  was a response "triggered by" an Israeli blockade of Gaza. Dr. Bhutta has compared the suffering in Gaza to the atrocities of the Holocaust and has repeatedly blamed Israel for any such suffering. These statements have raised concerns about historical sensitivity, professional judgment, and respect for Jewish members' identity and experience. 

We recognize Dr. Bhutta's contributions to global child health and respect the importance of academic freedom and differing perspectives. Our concerns are not about restricting scientific discussion or preventing the presentation of research. If Dr. Bhutta had original research accepted as an abstract to our meeting, we would support his right to present same. However, an invitation to serve as a keynote speaker represents a significant honor within our Society, and we believe that those selected for this distinction should uphold the professional and ethical standards NASPGHAN represents. We feel that Dr. Bhutta's public rhetoric reflects antisemitic bias and that honoring him with this platform is deeply alienating to Jewish members and inconsistent with the values our Society represents.

NASPGHAN’s own Code of Ethics explicitly opposes prejudice based on religion, nationality, and ethnicity. These principles must apply equally to Jewish members. Inclusion cannot be selective.

Despite members raising these concerns directly with NASPGHAN leadership, the NASPGHAN president and council decided that Dr. Bhutta should be allowed to give the keynote address. This decision has left many to feel that their voices have not been adequately heard and that the evidence presented was ignored. The consequences of this decision extend beyond a single conference, risking damage to NASPGHAN’s credibility as an inclusive professional society and eroding the trust of longstanding members who have considered it their professional home.

We strongly urge NASPGHAN leadership to reverse its decision and withdraw Dr. Bhutta's keynote invitation. We remain hopeful that leadership will reconsider its position and demonstrate through meaningful action its commitment to the values of inclusivity, mutual respect, and the well-being of all its members.

Respectfully,

The Undersigned NASPGHAN Members

Supporting Publications and Public Statements

1.         Addressing Mass Starvation in Gaza — Dawn (August 2025)
https://www.dawn.com/news/1929461/addressing-mass-starvation-in-gaza

2.         The BMJ — 2024 Commentary
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-081515

3.         The Lancet — October 2025: Documenting atrocity: child malnutrition in Gaza
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:4af08e1c-c391-43f6-a325-6960ae763ec4

4.         Public Keynote Presentation — YouTube (relevant remarks at approximately 25:40)
https://youtu.be/TmEGbpe9rt8?t=1540

5.         NASPGHAN Code of Ethics for Professional Conduct
https://naspghan.org/about/statements/