Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired back at Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in the early moments of what turned out to be a very contentious Capitol Hill hearing on Thursday, exclaiming at one point, &#8220;Do I get a reply?&#8221;
Throughout the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Kennedy fielded a number of pointed questions about recent shake-ups at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and his complete overhaul of the panel meant to make recommendations on vaccines — and numerous senators used their time to effectively offer their own testimony in place of his, routinely leaving him barely enough time to answer yes-or-no questions.
Wyden, after using some of his time to complain that Kennedy was &#8220;politicizing&#8221; the committee that recommends vaccines, accused him of compromising children&#8217;s health.
&#8220;[You&#8217;re] enacting an agenda that I think is fundamentally cruel and defies common sense,&#8221; Wyden claimed, before ceding the floor back to the committee chair.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 HOLY CRAP! RFK Jr. just absolutely EVISCERATED Democrat Senator Ron Wyden
&#8220;Senator, you&#8217;ve sat in that chair for how long? 20, 25 years? While the chronic disease in our children went up to 76%. And you said NOTHING. You never ASKED the question why it&#8217;s happening!&#8221;
🔥 <a href="https://t.co/kFDt8ErDS6">pic.twitter.com/kFDt8ErDS6</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1963613460236816488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Do I get a reply?&#8221; Kennedy asked then, and after apparently getting the go-ahead to respond, he directed his comments at Wyden. &#8220;Senator, you&#8217;ve sat in that chair for how long? 20, 25 years? While the chronic disease in our children went up to 76%. And you said nothing. You never asked the question why it&#8217;s happening, why is this happening?&#8221;
&#8220;Today, for the first time in 20 years, we learned that infant mortality has increased in our country,&#8221; Kennedy continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s not because I came in here. It&#8217;s because of what happened during the Biden administration that we&#8217;re going to end.&#8221;

HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr Testifies At Senate Finance Hearing

‘Do I Get A Reply?’: Kennedy Steamrolls Democrat In Health Care Hearing Shouting Match

'Do I Get A Reply?': Kennedy Steamrolls Democrat In Health Care Hearing Shouting Match

Health

Health Care

Politics

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

vaccine

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named his deputy, Jim O&#8217;Neill, as acting director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after ousting the former director less than a month into her tenure.
President Donald Trump fired on Wednesday CDC Director Susan Monarez after she resisted changes to vaccine policy advanced by Kennedy that she believed contradicted scientific evidence, further destabilizing the already embattled agency.
&#8220;Together, we will rebuild this institution into what it was always meant to be: a guardian of America&#8217;s health and security,&#8221; Kennedy wrote on Thursday in a memo to CDC staff seen by Reuters. &#8220;To help advance this mission, I am pleased to announce that Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O&#8217;Neill is now also serving as Acting Director of the CDC.&#8221;
Monarez&#8217;s firing triggered the resignations of four senior CDC officials who cited anti-vaccine policies and misinformation pushed by Kennedy and his team.
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The CDC has faced mounting challenges under Kennedy&#8217;s leadership, including a shooting at its Atlanta headquarters earlier this month. The union representing CDC workers said the incident &#8220;compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured.&#8221;
The White House sought to cut the agency&#8217;s budget by almost $3.6 billion, leaving it with a $4 billion 2026 budget, and Kennedy announced a layoff plan earlier this year that cut 2,400 CDC employees, though some 700 were rehired.
O&#8217;Neill, prior to his confirmation as Kennedy&#8217;s second in command, served as a health policy adviser with ties to several healthcare companies.
He also managed one of tech billionaire and Trump-backer Peter Thiel&#8217;s venture capital firms, Mithril Capital Management, from 2012 to 2019. O&#8217;Neill also served as chief executive of his philanthropic Thiel Foundation and as a managing director at Thiel Capital.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein and Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Diane Craft)

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

RFK Jr. Appoints Deputy Jim O’Neill As Interim CDC Director After Monarez Ouster

The Trump administration said Wednesday that it had fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez because she was “not aligned&#8221; with the president&#8217;s agenda of &#8220;Making America Healthy Again.&#8221; 
Lawyers for Monarez, who has directed the CDC for less than a month, stated that she would not leave, claiming she had not been adequately informed of her removal. Monarez also alleged that she was being “targeted” for refusing to follow a “political agenda.”
The Department of Health and Human Services <a href="https://x.com/HHSGov/status/1960818490614415869" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Wednesday afternoon that Monarez was no longer part of the agency.
&#8220;Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,&#8221; HHS posted on X. &#8220;We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people. [Secretary Kennedy] has full confidence in his team at the [CDC] who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad.&#8221;
The removal came after Monarez did not commit to rescinding approvals for certain COVID vaccines when pressed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/27/susan-monarez-cdc-director-ousted/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=wp_the7-tracking-trump&amp;carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F4468879%2F68af893f3816071e609ae717%2F64467e96035e7012142988e7%2F16%2F56%2F68af893f3816071e609ae717" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The outlet added that Monarez turned to Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Labor, and Pensions, for help while facing pressure from Kennedy.
Cassidy <a href="https://x.com/SenBillCassidy/status/1960895774079799344">said</a> on X that Monarez&#8217;s &#8220;high profile departure&#8221; will require &#8220;oversight&#8221; from his committee.
In response to the announcement from HHS, lawyer Mark Zaid said that Monarez had no intention of leaving the position. 
&#8220;When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda,&#8221; Zaid said. &#8220;For that, she has been targeted. Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired, and as a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign.&#8221;
Monarez is also represented by Abbe Lowell, who represents Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook. Trump recently fired Cook, who is likewise refusing to leave her position.
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White House spokesman Kush Desai responded to the accusations, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/cdc-monarez-kennedy-vaccines.html">saying</a> Monarez had been &#8220;terminated&#8221; because she was “not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again.” 
Zaid <a href="https://x.com/MarkSZaidEsq/status/1960914637219893636">said</a> the White House had provided a “legally deficient” notification of Monarez’s removal from the CDC. 
“Our client was notified tonight by White House staff in the personnel office that she was fired. As a presidential appointee, senate confirmed (sic) officer, only the president himself can fire her,” he posted on X. 
Monarez was confirmed by the Senate 51-47 on July 29.
At least three other top CDC staffers have resigned in protest following the Trump administration’s move to oust Monarez. Those departing include Demetre Daskalakis, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, Director of the National Centers for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Debra Houry, the agency’s chief medical officer.
The FDA rolled out new guidelines for the COVID vaccine on Wednesday, approving its use for those 65 and older and limiting approval for those between the ages of 5 and 64.

Senate HELP Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing For CDC Director Nominee Susan Monarez

White House Fires CDC Director Following COVID Vaccine Showdown

bill Cassidy

Covid vaccine

Department of Health and Human Services

Trump Administration

Multiple antiseptics, cleansers, and hand soaps have been voluntarily recalled over bacteria that could cause &#8220;life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
DermaRite Industries is recalling DermaKleen antiseptic lotion with Vitamin E in 1,000- and 800- milliliter sizes, KleenFoam antimicrobial foam soap in 1,000-milliliter sizes, DermaSerra external analgesic in 7.5-ounce sizes, and PeriGiene antiseptic cleanser in 7.5-ounce sizes.
The products have expiration dates ranging from July 2025 to February 2027, the company <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/dermarite-industries-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-dermakleen-dermasarra-kleenfoam-and">said</a> in a press release. They were distributed in the United States and in Puerto Rico.
The company recalled the products, which were intended to &#8220;decrease bacteria,&#8221; because of a bacterial &#8220;contamination identified as Burkholderia cepacia.&#8221;
&#8220;The contaminated products may be used by immunosuppressed individuals or by people attending to immunosuppressed individuals,&#8221; the press realease said. &#8220;In healthy individuals with minor skin lesions the use of the product will more likely result in local infections, whereas in immunocompromised individuals the infection is more likely to spread into blood stream leading to life-threatening sepsis.&#8221;
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The company told distributors and customers &#8220;to immediately examine available inventory and destroy all affected products.&#8221;
DermaRite said it &#8220;has not received any reports of adverse events.&#8221;
Burkholderia cepacia complex, also called B. cepacia or Bcc, is a bacteria group often found in soil and water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is dangerous for people with compromised immune systems or chronic lung diseases, especially cystic fibrosis. It poses little risk to healthy individuals.
The CDC said B. cepacia can cause serious respiratory infections, as well as fever and fatigue. Individuals may also experience no symptoms. The bacteria&#8217;s resistance to antibiotics can make it difficult to treat.

Wash your hands

Hand Soaps, Antiseptics Recalled Over Bacteria That Could Cause ‘Life-Threatening Sepsis’

Business

Disease

Economy

U.S.

The U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday.
Susan Monarez was the president’s second pick to head the agency after the White House pulled Dave Weldon’s nomination, which Weldon said was due to a lack of Senate support for his nomination. Monarez is the first CDC head to be confirmed by the Senate, a move necessitated under a 2023 law.
The Senate confirmed Monarez, who already heads the agency as acting director, in a 51 to 47 vote. Monarez now stands to head up an agency in the middle of an overhaul led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Trump administration is reportedly <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/04/16/hhs-budget-cut-trump/">seeking</a> to slash the CDC’s budget by over 40% after the health agency has received heavy <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/cdc-admission-of-dysfunction-misses-the-big-problems/">criticism</a> in recent years, especially for its handling of the COVID pandemic. During the outbreak of the disease and, at times, for years after, the CDC recommended actions that had little basis in scientific evidence.
For instance, the agency issued its six-feet separation guidance in March 2020 based on no discernible evidence, according to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, which issued a <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024.12.04-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT-ANS.pdf">final report</a> on the pandemic in December. Despite the lack of a scientific foundation, the guidance went unrevised until August 2022.
“There were no scientific trials or studies conducted before this policy was implemented, there appeared to be no pushback or internal discussion amongst the highest level of leadership, and more importantly there appears to be no acceptance of responsibility,” the 557-page report states. “That is an unacceptable answer from public health leadership. Decisions of this magnitude must have scientific backing that can be explained to the American public.”
The CDC’s guidance on mask-wearing and school closures was also compromised, according to the House report.
The CDC presented 15 studies on mask-wearing that it said support its guidance to require masks in public spaces, including on public transit and in schools. Each study was significantly flawed, however, and none of them were randomized controlled trials, considered the “gold standard” of such evidence.
“The trajectories of the rate of COVID-19 infections for states with mask mandates and states without is virtually identical,” the House report notes. “It is apparent that the CDC and the Biden Administration cherry-picked observational data to fit their narrative that masks are fully effective.”
The report notes that CDC “caused quantifiable harm” in its recommendation for universal masking inside primary schools. The recommendation remained in place for nearly two years, from April 2020 to late February 2022, with a brief break from May to July 2021.
The CDC’s choice to recommend universal masking was more onerous than the World Health Organization’s guidance. The WHO declined to recommend masking for children ages five and under, and said children ages six to 11 should not routinely wear masks because of “potential adverse impact to psychosocial and learning development,” according to the House report.
Isolation and forced masking appears to have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/01/upshot/pandemic-children-school-performance.html">slowed</a> development for many children.
“Ignoring the science and facts of COVID-19 and the harms of masking young children was profoundly immoral on behalf of the leadership of the country’s public health officials. The future consequences of these types of draconian policies are not yet known, but public health leaders in the future should remember that all policy must be decided in a balanced manner,” the report notes.

Susan Monarez

Senate Confirms Trump’s Pick To Head CDC As Agency Battles Criticism Over Pandemic Response

Congress

COVID-19

Donald Trump

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Monday that he’s gutting the panel that advises on vaccination safety and efficacy, arguing that it’s another step toward restoring public trust.
Kennedy, whose department has already made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense">several moves</a> to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hhs-investing-500-million-to-develop-universal-vaccines?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HHS+Investing+%24500+Million+To+Develop+Universal+Vaccines">shake up</a> vaccination research and recommendations, said he’s “retiring” all 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, known as ACIP.
“Today, we are taking a bold step in restoring public trust by totally reconstituting the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP),” RFK <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/rfk-jr-hhs-moves-to-restore-public-trust-in-vaccines-45495112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. “We are retiring the 17 current members of the committee, some of whom were last-minute appointees of the Biden administration.”
Kennedy said he had to remove these panel members or the Trump administration wouldn&#8217;t be able to appoint a majority of new members until 2028.
RFK Jr. suggested the panel effectively works as a rubber-stamp and is plagued with conflicts of interest.
ACIP, he highlighted, has never recommended against a vaccination it’s been asked to advise on, even vaccines that were later withdrawn for safety reasons. “It has failed to scrutinize vaccine products given to babies and pregnant women,” he wrote.
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“To make matters worse, the groups that inform ACIP meet behind closed doors, violating the legal and ethical principle of transparency crucial to maintaining public trust,” RFK said.
Kennedy cited a 2000 investigation that found enforcement of ACIP conflict-of-interest rules were “weak to nonexistent.”
“Committee members regularly participated in deliberations and advocated products in which they had a financial stake,” he wrote. “The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) issued conflict-of-interest waivers to every committee member.”
Citing a 2009 HHS inspector general report, Kennedy added that not all committee members completed full conflict-of-interest forms, and of the ones who did, it was found that 97% of the forms had omissions. Additionally, the CDC – which is the agency ACIP passes along its recommendations to – “took no significant action to remedy the omissions.”
“The public must know that unbiased science guides the recommendations from our health agencies,” Kennedy said. “This will ensure the American people receive the safest vaccines possible.&#8221;
As previously reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hhs-investing-500-million-to-develop-universal-vaccines?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HHS+Investing+%24500+Million+To+Develop+Universal+Vaccines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, HHS, under Kennedy&#8217;s leadership, is investing half a billion dollars into a project that seeks to develop universal vaccinations for numerous viruses, called &#8220;Generation Gold Standard.&#8221;
Moreover, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kennedys-cdc-to-reportedly-study-potential-link-between-vaccines-and-autism?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Kennedy’s+CDC+To+Reportedly+Study+Potential+Link+Between+Vaccines+And+Autism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDC is studying the sharp rise in autism rates</a>, which reportedly includes research on whether there&#8217;s any link between vaccinations and the rise in autism.
And, last month, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense">CDC rescinded guidance</a> that pregnant women and children should receive a vaccine against COVID. “I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that, as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” RFK said at the time.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-stops-pushing-covid-shots-for-healthy-pregnant-women-children-common-sense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDC Stops Pushing COVID Shots For Healthy Pregnant Women, Children: ‘Common Sense’</a>

RFK Jr

RFK Jr. Guts CDC Vaccine Panel, ‘Retiring’ All 17 Members

COVID

Vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has rescinded guidance that pregnant women and children should receive a vaccine against COVID.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the change in guidance on Tuesday. Kennedy in a video statement was flanked by National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary.
“I couldn&#8217;t be more pleased to announce that, as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy then slammed the Biden administration for pushing COVID shots and boosters on healthy children “despite the lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.”
Bhattacharya jumped in: “That ends today. It&#8217;s common sense and it&#8217;s good science.”
Makary added: “There&#8217;s no evidence healthy kids need it today, and most countries have stopped recommending it for children.”
“We&#8217;re now one step closer to realizing President Trump&#8217;s promise to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’”  Kennedy finished.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCgov</a> recommended immunization schedule. Bottom line: it’s common sense and it’s good science. We are now one step closer to realizing <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’s promise to Make America Healthy Again. <a href="https://t.co/Ytch2afCLP">pic.twitter.com/Ytch2afCLP</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1927368440811008138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
The announcement follows the release of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bombshell-biden-admin-covered-up-adverse-covid-vaccine-reactions-including-myocarditis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> earlier this month from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on the potentially deadly side effects associated with COVID vaccines and the Biden administration’s lack of action to notify the American people.
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The report is titled: “Failure to Warn: How Federal Health Agencies Downplayed the Risk of Myocarditis and Other Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination.” The investigation into the Biden administration’s handling of COVID vaccines found that officials “knew about the risks of myocarditis,” “downplayed the health concern,” and deliberately “delayed informing the public about the risk.”
Committee chair Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said that the Biden administration covered up vaccine side effects to prevent “vaccine hesitancy,” but “in being concerned about that, they violated the inviolable principle of informed consent.”
Amanda Prestigiacomo contributed to this report.

CDC Stops Pushing COVID Shots For Healthy Pregnant Women, Children: ‘Common Sense’

COVID-19 Vaccine

Jay Bhattacharya

President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he has selected Susan Monarez, the current acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to be the agency&#8217;s permanent head.
&#8220;I am proud to announce that Dr. Susan Monarez is my Nominee to serve as the next Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),&#8221; Trump wrote on social media. &#8220;Dr. Monarez brings decades of experience championing Innovation, Transparency, and strong Public Health Systems.&#8221;
The news comes after Trump withdrew his first nominee for the role, Dr. Dave Weldon, just hours before his Senate confirmation hearing that was scheduled earlier this month.
&#8220;As an incredible mother and dedicated public servant, Dr. Monarez understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Americans have lost confidence in the CDC due to political bias and disastrous mismanagement.&#8221;
Monarez — who has a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin and Postdoctoral training in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine — will work &#8220;closely with our GREAT Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr,&#8221; Trump added.
&#8220;Together, they will prioritize Accountability, High Standards, and Disease Prevention to finally address the Chronic Disease Epidemic and, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!&#8221; he said.
Trump had tapped Weldon, a former Republican congressman from Florida, to lead the agency in November, but ended up <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-names-former-florida-congressman-cdc-director" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulling</a> his nomination on March 13th because it was not clear that he was going to have enough Republican support to make it through the confirmation process.
In a lengthy statement, Weldon blamed the pharmaceutical industry for his nomination being tanked, saying that he was viewed &#8220;very negatively by the industry&#8221; despite using pharmaceuticals &#8220;on a daily basis to help my patients.&#8221;

President Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting

Trump Taps New Nominee For CDC Director After Pulling First Choice

Executive

The White House on Thursday withdrew the nomination of former Florida congressman Dr. David Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mere hours before Weldon was slated to appear before the Senate for a confirmation hearing.
Reports indicate that Weldon was pulled just before the now-canceled hearing because he didn&#8217;t have the votes to be confirmed. A Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/white-house-to-withdraw-weldon-as-cdc-nominee-31df5b8f?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> noted that Weldon was unaware of the withdrawal until 9 a.m. Thursday morning, when a Journal reporter contacted him.
Weldon, a physician who served in Congress from 1995 to 2009, has routinely expressed skepticism about the safety of vaccinations, not unlike Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In 2007, Weldon proposed a bill that would have transferred vaccine safety oversight from the CDC to an independent agency within HHS. He also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/13/dave-weldon-cdc-nomination-withdrawn?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that there could be a link between vaccinations and the rise in autism, which is reportedly set to be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kennedys-cdc-to-reportedly-study-potential-link-between-vaccines-and-autism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studied</a> by the CDC under RFK.
The withdrawal comes amid the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, which has put a spotlight on vaccines under Kennedy&#8217;s leadership and possibly added scrutiny to Weldon&#8217;s confirmation chances. The former congressman reportedly softened his take on vaccine safety during private conversations with senators, though he still apparently couldn&#8217;t muster up enough support.
There have been a total of 223 confirmed cases of measles in Texas since late January. Twenty-nine people have been hospitalized, with <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/texas-measles-outbreak-fueled-distrust-public-health-personal-119419119">one death</a> of a school-aged child. Most infections have impacted children in the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/27/health/mennonite-texas-measles/index.html">Mennonite population</a>.
Kennedy has said the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/cdc-team-assisting-texas-measles-outbreak-case-total-rises">outbreak</a> must elicit a “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/robert-f-kennedy-jr-measles-outbreak-call-action-all-us">call to action</a>” from all to affirm our &#8220;commitment to public health.&#8221; He&#8217;s reportedly sent thousands of doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine to Texas while educating parents on treatments post-infection and nutrition. 
&#8220;What we’re trying to do is really to restore faith in government, and to make sure that we are there to help them with their needs and not particularly to dictate what they ought to be doing,&#8221; RFK <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369595673112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Fox News. 
Despite the extra attention on vaccines, Kennedy has already made several changes. For example, he&#8217;s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0">indicated</a> that he’ll effectively review the childhood vaccination schedule by investigating vaccines — as well as pesticides, food additives, microplastics, and antidepressants — to see if they have contributed to a rise in chronic illness.
He&#8217;s also halted the CDC’s “<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/19/nx-s1-5302906/cdc-flu-vaccine-campaign-terminated">Wild to Mild</a>” campaign <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/26/rfk-jr-vaccines-informed-consent-cdc-messaging-vaccinations/#:~:text=Health%20and%20Human%20Services%20Secretary,campaign%20promoting%20the%20flu%20vaccine.">promoting</a> the flu vaccine and has indicated that he wants advertisements going forward to promote the idea of “informed consent” in vaccine decision-making, which would include giving people <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2025/02/26/rfk-jr-vaccines-informed-consent-cdc-messaging-vaccinations/#:~:text=Health%20and%20Human%20Services%20Secretary,campaign%20promoting%20the%20flu%20vaccine.">information</a> about the adverse events associated with vaccines. 
Additionally, citing conflicts of interest, Kennedy is preparing to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2025/03/01/rfk-jr-readies-cdc-for-changes-in-vaccine-policies/">remove</a> several members of the external committee that advises the FDA and CDC on vaccine approvals and other key public health decisions. Recommendations from that committee, known as ACIP, are almost always followed by HHS and could further impact the childhood vaccination schedule. RFK has also <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/adult-non-flu-vaccines/scheduled-meeting-cdc-vaccine-advisers-postponed#:~:text=The%20postponing%20of%20the%20ACIP,committees%20likely%20to%20be%20targeted." target="_blank" rel="noopener">postponed</a> ACIP’s first panel to “accommodate public comment in advance of the meeting.”
Just this past week, it was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/03/10/vaccines-nih-rfk-research-canceled/">announced</a> that the National Institutes of Health will stop spending money to find out why Americans are hesitant to take vaccines. The NIH, which is part of HHS, is terminating or scaling back more than 40 related grants and has said that such spending no longer aligns with NIH priorities.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mahas-latest-wins-on-fluoride-food-and-vaccines?topStoryPosition=undefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MAHA’s Latest Wins On Fluoride, Food, And Vaccines</a>

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White House Withdraws Nominee For CDC Director Hours Before Confirmation Hearing

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly studying if there is any link between vaccinations and the rise in autism.
Sources told Reuters that the CDC, which is under the purview of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is planning a large study into vaccines and autism. A CDC study from 2020 found that 1 in 36 children in the United States have been diagnosed with autism.
The Daily Wire reached out to HHS about the report, but has yet to receive a reply.
Over the weekend, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-cdc-plans-study-into-vaccines-autism-sources-say-2025-03-07/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the department will leave &#8220;no stone unturned&#8221; while studying the rise in autism.
“As President Trump said in his Joint Address to Congress, the rate of autism in American children has skyrocketed,&#8221; he said. &#8220;CDC will leave no stone unturned in its mission to figure out what exactly is happening. The American people expect high quality research and transparency and that is what CDC is delivering.&#8221;
National Institutes of Health (NIH) director nominee Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has said he doesn&#8217;t believe there is a link between vaccines and the rise in autism, but would back &#8220;a broad scientific agenda&#8221; looking into the matter.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t generally believe there is a link, based on my reading of the literature. But we do have a sharp rise in autism rates, and I don&#8217;t think any scientist really knows the cause of it,&#8221; Bhattacharya said during a confirmation hearing. &#8220;I would support a broad scientific agenda based on data to get an answer to that.&#8221;
Kennedy is currently tackling a measles outbreak in Texas, where 198 cases have been identified since late January, largely among the Mennonite population. In an op-ed published this month, RFK said the <a href="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/cdc-team-assisting-texas-measles-outbreak-case-total-rises">outbreak</a> must elicit a “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/robert-f-kennedy-jr-measles-outbreak-call-action-all-us">call to action</a>” for all of us to affirm our commitment to public health.
The secretary said he’s harnessing HHS to support Texas communities and the state&#8217;s health department by making the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine readily available. HHS has sent 2,000 doses of the vaccine to West Texas. Kennedy also said he’s focusing on educating parents on post-infection treatments and nutrition. 
&#8220;What we’re trying to do is really to restore faith in government, and to make sure that we are there to help them with their needs and not particularly to dictate what they ought to be doing,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6369595673112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maha-update-here-are-rfks-latest-moves-on-big-food-and-big-pharma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘MAHA’ Update: Here Are RFK’s Latest Moves On Big Food And Big Pharma</a>

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Visits “The Faulkner Focus”

Kennedy’s CDC To Reportedly Study Potential Link Between Vaccines And Autism

Canada is a cold place, and to get around my home of Ontario comfortably during the winter I’m lucky to have a top-shelf pair of American premium leather cowboy boots by Durango. They’re perfect, except for the part where they supposedly can increase my risk of cancer.
Yes, because my boots comply with California’s Proposition 65, they came with a Cancer and Reproductive Harm <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-07-23/prop-65-product-warnings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning label</a> in the event I were to excessively lick or dine upon my footwear. Everything from DVD players to couches now carry these labels if they’re sold in California, in case a consumer were to ingest them instead of watch a movie or take a nap. Considering the earth’s sun is a well-known carcinogen, it’s a wonder California hasn’t legislated some kind of labeling on the menacing gaseous ball elevating the cancer risk of everyone beneath its rays.
Perhaps the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy will take action after he’s done frightening consumers about alcohol. Murthy’s latest <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/alcohol-cancer/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">advisory report</a> on “the causal link between alcohol consumption and increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer” <a href="https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/alcohol-cancer-risk-rcna186367" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has America spooked</a>. We experienced the same tactics in Canada.
The political collapse of Prime Minster Justin Trudeau in Canada temporarily killed a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tasker-canada-alcohol-problem-health-warning-labels-1.6850180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> that would have had Canada <a href="https://www.medcentral.com/biz-policy/should-alcohol-labels-have-a-cancer-warning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">follow Ireland</a> in slapping cancer warnings on all alcoholic beverages. It’s part of a movement within the public health establishment via the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/alcohol">World Health Organization</a>, to shift world governments away from the message of “drink responsibly” and toward “<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tasker-canada-alcohol-problem-health-warning-labels-1.6850180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no amount is safe</a>”.
Consumers should know the risks associated with alcohol consumption, but what exactly are those risks?
First, Dr. Murthy’s report is what’s known as an observational study, which means conclusions are drawn without experiments featuring variables and controls. These reports study large pre-existing data sets and can show correlation, not causation, of illness associated with certain products like alcohol. It is literally not possible for observational studies to demonstrate cause and effect.
Second, the data sets informing the research are biased toward <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24825591/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">respondents underreporting</a> their level of drinking. It is to be expected then that the data for moderate drinkers is systematically enmeshed with that of heavy drinkers who underestimate their weekly intake.
The result is that moderate drinking ends up looking more risky than it might otherwise be on a chart illustrating a correlation between alcohol consumption and certain cancers.
The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) <a href="https://www.ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">led</a> the charge for warning labels in Canada, and their own findings illustrated the same kind of disproportionate response being mimicked by Dr. Murthy in the US. The CCSA’s report argued that a male who consumes 2 drinks per day may increase their <a href="https://financialpost.com/opinion/david-clement-happy-festivus-earful-for-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener">absolute</a> colorectal cancer risk by 0.0028 percent. If you add the increased risk for all cancers measured by the CCSA (liver, colorectal, esophagus, larynx, and oral/pharynx) related to alcohol consumption, the total absolute increase in cancer risk for a male drinking 2 drinks per day is 0.0099, or 9.9 one-hundredths of a percent.
These are not the kind of numbers you’d take seriously if they were on the warning label, and it’s not especially helpful to slap tobacco-style cancer warnings on products that are exponentially less harmful. The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lung-cancer/risk-factors/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CDC</a> estimates that smoking increases cancer risk by 15-30 times when compared to non-smokers.
Smoking comes with an increased cancer risk that is more than 1,000%. Two alcoholic drinks per day, however, is only an increase of 0.0099% in risk. These things are not the same.
A <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2839311">2016 paper</a> from Harvard Kennedy School laid out the best case against an overzealous warning label regime like California’s Prop 65 and the movement to associate alcohol with the hazards of cigarettes. Harvard said of Prop 65 that it “fails miserably at distinguishing between large and small risks; that is to say between wolves and puppies.” The cancer warning label movement “cries wolf” over statistically insignificant risks and deters consumers from taking labels seriously when a genuinely dangerous product comes to market in the future.
It is not good for consumers when warning labels are a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/comments/lvkiys/proposition_65_should_i_worry/">punchline</a>, but that’s precisely what happens when cancer warnings are on cigarettes and <a href="https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/GettyImages-171179611.jpg">Starbucks self-serve</a> sugar stations.
The connection between heavy drinking and certain cancers of the mouth and throat is generally accepted by researchers, including the most recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) about the health impacts of alcohol. NASEM <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/28582/review-of-evidence-on-alcohol-and-health">showed the same</a> uptick in the risk for breast cancer with moderate drinking but did not replicate a connection between moderate drinking and the rest of the other afflictions.
Any consumer should scratch their head when the Surgeon General’s alcohol warning is that “evidence shows that this risk may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day.”
May start? Fewer than one drink per day? This barely clever wording means Dr. Murthy cannot demonstrate total sobriety as having a 0.0 correlation with developing cancer.
This strategic uncertainty should tell you something about the claims being made by Vivek Murthy and public health authorities in places like Canada. The conclusions don’t make that much sense. For example, Dr. Joseph Sparano, deputy director of the Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, <a href="https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/alcohol-cancer-risk-rcna186367">told NBC’s Today</a> “Drinking may explain some of the increased cancer risk we are seeing in young people – Cancers in people under the age of 50 have been increasing at a rate of 1-2% per year over the last 15 years.”
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But nothing is said about the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/claraludmir/2023/06/27/why-genz-is-drinking-less-and-what-this-means-for-the-alcohol-industry/">years</a> of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220920-why-gen-zers-are-growing-up-sober-curious">coverage</a> on reliable trendlines <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/509690/young-adults-drinking-less-prior-decades.aspx">showing</a> adults under 35 drink less frequently and in lower quantities than any prior generation. Older cohorts are <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/30/health/seniors-alcohol-consumption.html">driving</a> the majority of alcohol consumption, and recent Center for Disease Control <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db374.htm">data</a> shows us that 5.1% of American adults are heavy drinkers, meaning a man who consumes more than 14 drinks per week and a woman who has more than seven. That slim cohort represents 75% of the cancer cases related to alcohol consumption.
If public health authorities are going to increase their focus on alcohol, it should be on heavy drinkers and tested messages of moderation and responsible drinking. 
Comparing the risks of moderate drinking to smoking is statistically false and misleading for consumers. The U.S. Surgeon General’s words carry incredible weight throughout the world, and like with California’s overzealous risk labeling system, Murthy risks squandering even more public trust in a public health advisory that can’t prove its own claims.
* * *
David Clement is the North American Affairs Director for the Consumer Choice Center. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/ClementLiberty">@ClementLiberty</a>
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Why Cancer Warnings On Alcohol Dilute The Meaning Of Risk

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President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> announced late this week that he has tapped former Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) to be the next Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
&#8220;In addition to being a Medical Doctor for 40 years, and an Army Veteran, Dave has been a respected conservative leader on fiscal and social issues, and served on the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, working for Accountability on HHS and CDC Policy and Budgeting,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;Dave also served in a leading role in Government Oversight and Reform Committee Hearings, addressing issues within HHS and CDC,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;Dave has successfully worked with the CDC to enact a ban on patents for human embryos.&#8221;
The president-elect said that it was important for Americans to regain their trust in federal health agencies after years of &#8220;censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation.&#8221;
He said that Weldon will prioritize &#8220;Transparency, Competence, and High Standards&#8221; as the director of the CDC.
He said that the CDC in his administration will &#8220;play a big role in helping to ensure Americans have the tools and resources they need to understand the underlying causes of disease, and the solutions to cure these diseases.&#8221;
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump&#8217;s pick to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services, praised the selection in a statement posted to X.
&#8220;Congratulations Dr. Dave Weldon on your nomination as Director of CDC,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Dr. Weldon is a 40-year medical doctor, Congressman, and Army veteran.&#8221;
&#8220;Dave&#8217;s leadership at CDC will bring the truth and transparency needed to restore the public&#8217;s confidence in this institution,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Welcome aboard.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Congratulations Dr. Dave Weldon on your nomination as Director of CDC. Dr. Weldon is a 40-year medical doctor, Congressman, and Army veteran. Dave&#8217;s leadership at CDC will bring the truth and transparency needed to restore the public&#8217;s confidence in this institution. Welcome… <a href="https://t.co/hu8bHdSqKa">pic.twitter.com/hu8bHdSqKa</a>
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1860373104515526975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2024</a></blockquote>

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