Senator slams CDC over vaccines, autism site
Cassidy calls it 'almost an insult' to Americans
By: Jay Stahi
USA Today
..... Senator 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.
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During a July 26 [2026] interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Cassidy a gastroenteritis, called out the health authority for saying Online that it's "not an evidence-based claim" hat vaccines don't cause autism.
..... "That is what gives some parents hesitancy regarding having their children vaccinated," the physician told CNN co-anchor Dana Bash. Cassidy added that the claims will make parents hesitant to do "the right thing, which is to have their child vaccinated," and later said there are decades of scientific studies showing :vaccines do not cause autism."
..... Many public health groups and physicians across the country have also denounced language on the CDC website about vaccines and autism spectrum disorder, despite decades of evidence showing approved immunizations are safe.
..... By July 24, [2026] the United States had recorded 2,318 confirmed cases of measles in 2026, surpassing the entire 2025U.s. tally of 2,289, confirmed cases and marking the highest level since 1991, Reuters reported July 26, [2026] citing the CDC.
.....Of the total 2,302 were reported by 45 jurisdictions and 16 were identified among intentionality visitors to the country as of July 23. [2026] The CDC said 35 outbreaks have been reported so far in 2026,compared with 48 in 2025.
..... Measles is one of the world's most contagious illnesses and is often spread over times of high travel like summer vacation, spring break or in situations where unvaccinated persons are in close quarters. It can cause symptoms such a fever, cough and a characteristic rash, and can also lead to server complications.
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The virus infection can be averted with a vaccine commonly give in the United States for three childhood diseases - measles, mumps and rubella. It is considered 97% effective after two doses. A surge in measles cases during the past two years has coincided with a stay slump in MMR immunization are for children since the start of he COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported.
..... Cassidy who chairs he Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions, is an outspoken advocate for vaccines. when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was being consider as the nation;s health secretary last year, [2025] Cassidy asked him to "come out unequivocally" and say vaccines are safe and they do not cause autism.
..... "The fact that is still thee is almost an insult to the American people,"Cassidy said. "We don't care enough about you to tell the truth. We want to continue to promote that which has been proven false, but we don't want to admit it, whoever 'we' is."
..... Cassidy ultimately voted to confirm Kennedy but has targeted the political heir's tenure leading the Department of Helaht and Human Services. Cassidy's push-back comes after he was defeated in his reelection bid in May, [2026] failing to make it into a Louisianan primary runoff that Trump's handpicked candidate, Representative Julia Letlow, ultimately won.
..... The Republican senator ash also targeted Trump's handling of the Iran war, and several GOP lawmakers said he and Trump got into a shouting match over the conflict during a closed-door meeting in June. [2026]
..... Still, Cassidy has vowed to support Trump's latest surgeon general nominee, Erica Schwartz, as she seeks to be confirmed as the nation's top doctor. Schwartz was previously the deputy surgeon general.
..... Contributing: Reuters: Sara Moniuszko, USA Today