A group of Democratic senators held a roundtable discussion with public health experts to address concerns about vaccine misinformation and anti-vaccine claims, days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The senators sought information on how to combat anti-vaccine claims, including the claim that vaccines cause autism, a notion that Kennedy has publicly discussed.
Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and expert in virology and immunology, explained that there is no scientific evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism, and that the scientific community has extensively studied the issue. The lack of robust studies proving a link between vaccines and autism makes it difficult to refute claims from Kennedy and others. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of Johns Hopkins pointed lawmakers to preeminent medical authorities in the U.S., such as the National Academy of Sciences, for evidence that vaccines do not cause autism.
The senators also asked questions about other anti-vaccine claims, including whether vaccine manufacturers are immune from being held accountable for vaccine injuries. The health experts explained that the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program allows certain vaccine injury victims to receive compensation from the government, but suggested that if Kennedy were to upset the current system, it could put vaccine manufacturers out of business.
During the discussion, the senators also sought information on how to distinguish between vaccine side effects and vaccine complications, how to combat claims that vaccines are not studied enough, and questions about how the government monitors the safety of vaccines. They also asked about the potential impact of undermining vaccine efficacy on public health.
Kennedy will face tough questions about his stance on vaccines during his confirmation hearings, which are scheduled to take place in front of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).