A Pediatrician’s Voice Joins The Fight For Parental Choice, Informed Consent, And The Families Of California And Beyond

Some of the most important conversations about our children’s health happen far from the exam room, in committee hearings, agency rulemakings, and the halls of Sacramento and Washington. Too often, parents are left out of those rooms. That’s exactly why we’re thrilled to share this news.

Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh has officially joined PERK’s Advisory Board as our Health Policy Advisor.

Many of you already know Dr. Warsh. He’s a practicing pediatrician, a father, and the author of Between a Shot and a Hard Place. Through his book, his Substack, his podcast appearances, and a large community of parents online, he has become one of the most trusted voices for families who want honest, transparent information about their children’s health.

What sets Dr. Warsh apart is that he starts where we start: with the family. He believes good health policy should be grounded in science, transparency, and informed consent, and that parents deserve a real voice in the decisions that shape their children’s lives. He has also been clear that people won’t agree on every medical question, but everyone should be free to ask hard questions and expect honest answers. That spirit is at the heart of PERK’s work.

PERK exists to protect a simple principle: parents, not the state, direct their children’s education and medical decisions. A child’s home life, faith, and bodily autonomy cannot be separated from their right to an education.

In California, that principle is under constant pressure. Since SB 277 eliminated personal belief exemptions, and SB 276 put medical exemptions under state review, families who object to vaccine mandates on grounds of conscience, faith, or medical concern have had fewer and fewer options. PERK has been fighting that fight bill by bill, hearing by hearing.

Having a practicing pediatrician on our team strengthens every part of that work. Dr. Warsh will help us:

Review proposed legislation with a clinician’s eye, especially vaccine and children’s health bills
Provide medical perspective in our advocacy with lawmakers and agencies
Educate families so parents can make informed decisions with confidence

When legislators hear from parents and physicians speaking with one voice, it changes the conversation.

Dr. Warsh joins at a moment of real momentum. Over the past several years, PERK has:

Helped pass more than 30 protective bills in California and helped defeat more than 20 that threatened parental rights, medical freedom, or children’s protections
Helped stop AB 2651 in 2026 over privacy and parental-rights concerns
Sponsored SB 1377, a medical exemption protection bill that earned bipartisan support
Secured a legislative sponsor for vaccine exemption reform, including restoring personal belief exemptions and protecting physicians who issue medical exemptions
Won legal challenges that ended COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the City of San Diego and in school districts, with court orders stopping mandates on parents and children
Defended homeschool groups and stopped the Department of Social Services’ attempts to fine and close homeschool pods
Organized more than 1,000 policy meetings and brought parents’ concerns directly to the White House, HHS, State Capitol, and Congress
Surveyed 767 parents on vaccine informed consent and submitted their experiences to HHS in formal comments
Supported 2026 child-protection legislation covering religious school absences, online safety and trafficking education, and protections around schools and daycares

None of this happens without you: the parents who show up, call, testify, and give.

We’re grateful to Dr. Warsh for trusting PERK with this next chapter of his work, and to Amy Bohn and the entire PERK team for building an organization worth joining. Dr. Warsh put it well: we feel like we’re just getting started.

Join Us at Medical Freedom Rising

Come celebrate with us at PERK’s Medical Freedom Rising Gala on Saturday, December 12th in Downtown Los Angeles, featuring keynote speaker Tulsi Gabbard. It will be an evening of families, advocates, and leaders united for parental rights, medical freedom, and children’s health, and Dr. Warsh will be there too.

🎟️ Tickets are 50% off through November 5th with code MFreedom50.