Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy slams Trump admin over vaccine site
Senator Bill Cassidy criticized the CDC for maintaining website content that suggests a link between vaccines and autism, which he argues fuels vaccine hesitancy. He emphasized that scientific consensus has long debunked the connection and called for the removal of the misleading language.
Why it matters
Public health communication and the role of government agencies in combating medical misinformation remain critical issues in US political discourse.
Hear this story Sen. Bill Cassidy , R-Louisiana, who has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump's administration over health issues, slammed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over a website related to autism and vaccines.
The gastroenterologist during a July 26 interview on CNN's "State of the Union" called out the health authority for saying online that it's "not an evidence-based claim" that vaccines don't cause autism.
"That is what gives some parents hesitancy regarding having their children vaccinated," Cassidy told host Dana Bash, who asked if the site was a "good faith attempt to stop spreading what you call 'misinformation about vaccines.'"
The health hawk told Bash the claims will make parents hesitant to do "the right thing, which is to have their child vaccinated." Cassidy continued, telling Bash that "it's been firmly established vaccines do not cause autism."
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