At a affirmation listening to Wednesday, President Donald Trump’s decide for the director of Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, Dr. Susan Monarez, confronted questions on her stance on vaccines — after Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a vaccine skeptic, has just lately made controversial selections round them
Monarez was clear in her assist for vaccines.
“I feel vaccines save lives. I feel that we have to proceed to assist the promotion of utilization of vaccines,” Monarez mentioned.
Her feedback got here as she was requested by Impartial Sen. Bernie Sanders a couple of latest choice reported by POLITICO that Kennedy has determined to finish U.S. funding for a worldwide vaccine alliance, Gavi.
“I wasn’t concerned in that call making. If I am confirmed as a CDC director, I’ll definitely look into it, and I am comfortable to observe up with you,” Monarez mentioned.
Susan Monarez, nominee to be the Director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention testifies throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions, June 25, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Pictures
Kennedy has lengthy held many vaccine-skeptic views, refuted by consultants and high-quality research, lengthy earlier than he joined the administration, however he has insisted he’s not “anti-vaccine” and slightly “pro-safety.”
Earlier this month, Kennedy removed all 17 sitting members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee and changed them with new members. The transfer has been controversial, with some experts saying it makes the U.S. “much less ready for infectious illness threats.”
Monarez additionally stood other than Kennedy on her views on autism, and whether or not there’s any hyperlink between the neurological dysfunction and childhood vaccinations — which Kennedy has lengthy raised as a possible cause for rising charges of autism diagnoses.
“I’ve not seen a causal hyperlink between vaccines and autism,” Monarez mentioned, requested by Sanders if she agrees with the American Medical Affiliation’s stance “that there isn’t a scientific confirmed hyperlink between vaccines and autism.”
Susan Monarez, nominee to be the Director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention testifies throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions, June 25, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Pictures
Kennedy, in his personal affirmation listening to, refused to acknowledge that there’s not a hyperlink between vaccines and autism, inflicting him to almost lose the important thing vote of Sen. Invoice Cassidy, a Republican and a physician.
Kennedy has since launched a serious effort at NIH to look into the causes of rising autism diagnoses.
The parable that vaccines trigger autism was born out of a fraudulent 1998 research, hypothesizing that the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine prompted intestinal irritation, which, in flip, led to the event of autism.
The paper has since been discredited by well being consultants, retracted from the journal during which it was printed, and its major creator, Andrew Wakefield, misplaced his medical license after an investigation discovered he had acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in conducting his analysis.
Greater than a dozen high-quality research have since discovered no proof of a hyperlink between childhood vaccines and autism.
Monarez outlined her credentials in her opening statements, touting her expertise with well being know-how and public well being. She additionally laid out her targets because the CDC director, which incorporates restoring public belief, modernizing public well being infrastructure and using evidence-based speedy choice making.
“These priorities assist the president’s and the secretary’s imaginative and prescient of a more healthy America. To attain them, I’ll lead with integrity, transparency and objective, and work with Congress to maximise well being outcomes and defend the American individuals,” Monarez mentioned in her opening assertion.
Trump tapped Monarez to guide the CDC in March after the administration withdrew Trump’s other pick , Dr. David Weldon, to go the company citing the truth that he didn’t have the votes wanted to be confirmed.
Monarez, if confirmed, will work with Kennedey to “prioritize Accountability, Excessive Requirements, and Illness Prevention to lastly tackle the Persistent Illness Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!” Trump mentioned in a social media put up saying her nomination.
Susan Monarez, nominee to be the Director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention testifies throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions, June 25, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Pictures
Monarez has served because the performing CDC director since late January.
She has expertise in each the private and non-private sector — together with working within the authorities underneath former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump’s first time period and Joe Biden. Her work has included methods to fight antimicrobial resistance, too.
She has additionally led initiatives to make use of synthetic intelligence and machine studying to enhance well being outcomes.
