Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MDRobert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, is medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). In addition to serving as NFID chief medical spokesperson, he represents NFID as liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and serves as an ex-officio member of the NFID Board of Directors and all Board-level committees.

As NFID medical director, Hopkins helps to advance the NFID mission through efforts to grow NFID programs, build vaccine confidence, address health equity issues, increase awareness of disease prevention and treatment, and strengthen NFID partner collaborations. He has held a number of national and local leadership positions including serving as chair of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee to the US Department of Health and Human Services (2019-2024) and vice chair of the American College of Physicians Immunization Committee. Hopkins also serves as professor of internal medicine and pediatrics and is immediate past chief of the division of general internal medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). His primary academic interest is clinical vaccinology with emphasis on education and quality improvement. He maintains board certification in internal medicine and in pediatrics, and he continues an active teaching and clinical practice providing primary and consultative care to adults and children. He was recognized as a 2024 Healio Honoree as a strategic, yet humble leader who has shaped US vaccine policy and helped build vaccine confidence.

Areas of Expertise:

  • Adult immunizations
  • Childhood and adolescent immunizations
  • COVID-19
  • Influenza (flu) prevention and treatment
  • Pneumococcal disease prevention
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  • Vaccine confidence and vaccine hesitancy

Quotes:

“If you get a vaccine and you’re a pregnant woman, you potentially can save two lives.” Source: AAP News

“For those who still haven’t gotten their COVID-19 [vaccine], their influenza vaccine, and those eligible to get RSV vaccination, please do that. It is not too late. It does take a little time for you to develop vaccine protection. But, I would encourage people to get that done because we don’t have a good way of predicting, even if you’ve had COVID-19 or flu earlier in the season, that you’re not going to get it again.” Source: Contagion Live

“Influenza is a respiratory virus that tends to circulate among people who are in crowded conditions, and as the weather gets colder, more people are crowded together indoors. Also, influenza tends to pass easily among schoolchildren and then they pass it on to the adult population.” Source: EveryDayHealth

“As health care professionals, we have a responsibility to educate patients about the importance of vaccination to help prevent severe illness and hospitalization. Getting vaccinated against flu and other respiratory diseases this season is the best way to help protect yourself and your loved ones.” Source: Healio

“We’ve got tools that we can use to help protect families, help individuals to be protected. But if we don’t rebuild vaccine confidence, as we start this flu season we’re really missing an opportunity to save lives, to save productive work time, to save time for people to spend with other members of their family.” Source: STAT

Hopkins at the 2024 NFID Annual News Conference: Preventing Respiratory Disease This Fall and Winter

To arrange an interview, contact: Diana Olson, dolson@nfid.org, 301-656-0003 x140

Visit the NFID Newsroom for information on spokespeople, news conferences, and press releases