Senator Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), called on March 17 for a Senate hearing to address recent statements by Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy that link vaccines to autism. Sanders urged Chairman Bill Cassidy to convene the hearing in order to clarify scientific evidence regarding vaccine safety.
The issue is significant because the HELP Committee plays a central role in shaping federal policy on public health and education, as well as overseeing agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, according to the official website. The committee also provides oversight of federal laws and agencies in health and labor, serving as a key body for policy decisions across these sectors.
In his letter to Cassidy, Sanders quoted him saying: “You have correctly said: ‘I'm a doctor who has seen people die from vaccine-preventable diseases. What parents need to hear right now is vaccines for measles, polio, hepatitis B and other childhood diseases are safe and effective and will not cause autism. Any statement to the contrary is wrong, irresponsible, and actively makes Americans sicker.’ I could not agree more with that assessment. Unfortunately, Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy and many others inside the Trump Administration do not.”
Sanders said that since taking office, Secretary Kennedy has directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to publish false information suggesting childhood vaccines cause autism despite extensive scientific research showing otherwise. He also noted that Kennedy replaced scientific experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with vaccine skeptics who have promoted debunked claims about vaccines causing autism. Additionally, Sanders said Kennedy overhauled the National Institutes of Health’s Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee by appointing new members who have publicly advanced false claims linking vaccines with autism.
“It is our responsibility to make sure that the American people understand the truth about vaccines and autism based on scientific evidence, not conspiracy theories. Therefore, I would like to work with you to schedule a hearing on this issue as soon as possible,” Sanders continued.
Many organizations focused on autism research—including the Coalition of Autism Scientists, Autism Society of America, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, and Autism Science Foundation—have also raised concerns about Secretary Kennedy’s actions.
