Vote on CDC nominee clinched with change to CDC’s website on vaccines and autism
By Sarah Owermohle, CNN
(CNN) — The Senate’s health committee on Thursday pushed back a vote to advance two top health care nominations to the Senate floor but indicated that one, the pick to lead the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would win the necessary votes after some assurances by the Trump administration — including a change to the CDC’s website on autism and vaccines.
In a statement Thursday, Sen. Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said the agency “needs someone who understands that the way to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases is to reassure the public that vaccines are safe and effective.”
After speaking with CDC nominee Dr. Erica Schwartz again and reviewing the transcript of her hearing, Cassidy said, he’s confident “she knows what she is doing and will stand against those who don’t.”
“As a sign of good faith, [the US Department of Health and Human Services] modified the CDC’s autism and vaccines webpage,” Cassidy said. “There is more to do to repair the damage that has been done to the U.S. public health response, but this is a start.”
Cassidy had previously voted to confirm HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the nominee assured him, as Cassidy said, that “CDC will not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism.”
The CDC did not remove that language but in November added a sentence: “Vaccines do not cause autism is not an evidence-based claim.”
As of Thursday, the website reads, “Scientists have not identified the root causes of autism. HHS continues to support rigorous scientific research and will update this page as reliable new evidence becomes available.”
On Thursday, Cassidy also suggested that he had lingering concerns about Sean Kaufman, the nominee to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
Cassidy grilled both Schwartz and Kaufman at a committee hearing last week, questioning whether Schwartz would have autonomy in her role after CDC upheaval last year and raising Kaufman’s past remarks about vaccines.
“Any time there is somebody contributing to confusion on immunizations that gives me concern,” Cassidy told reporters on Thursday, referencing Kaufman.
Cassidy lost his reelection bid this year after President Donald Trump endorsed a rival contender and the Louisiana senator sparred with the administration over vaccine rhetoric.
The committee had been expected to vote on Thursday, but the vote was delayed due to attendance issues. At least one Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, was not at the Capitol on Thursday. The committee is expected to reconvene for votes on the health care nominees and the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be secretary of the Department of Labor next week.
Whether Kaufman has the votes to advance remains unclear.
“There are ongoing conversations with the administration on the path forward for Mr. Kaufman’s nomination,” a HELP Committee spokesperson said.
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