Evidently you cannot tell the difference between scientists & policymakers being "wrong" because science is self-correcting and actively seeks out its prior wro

Evidently you cannot tell the difference between scientists & policymakers being "wrong" because science is self-correcting and actively seeks out its prior wrong/less-right answers, vs people actively and knowingly spreading deliberate lies as part of campaigns for personal scams or political aggression. There is no "appeal to authority" here; Hotez IS one of the worlds leading authorities on both vaccines and anti-science aggression, which is exactly what it is. Of course, you are free to believe the liars over the people who are actually doing the hard work of figuring out the real science. But do not pretend that you are doing anyone any good. I'm sure you feel all self-righteous "sticking it to the man" and aggressively countering a leading expert, and partaking of (pseudo-)"knowledge" that is exclusive to you (self-)select insiders. This is a known and scientifically studied part of the attraction of conspiracy and junk science. While you pride yourself to not being a slave to the "authorities", you are merely a slave to the scammers and hucksters. It is not your belief in some "contrarian" tropes that makes you a free thinker. What would make you a free thinker is the ability to look at evidence and science and freely adjust your beliefs accordingly.