By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-ousted-cdc-chief-says-rfk-jr-incorrectly-claimed-childhood-vaccine-schedule-had-no-evidence Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Ousted CDC chief says RFK Jr. incorrectly claimed childhood vaccine schedule had no evidence Politics Sep 17, 2025 3:12 PM EDT Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, asked former CDC Director Susan Monarez if Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited any data or science when he directed her to accept new recommendations for childhood vaccine schedules. WATCH: Ousted CDC head Monarez warns senators that RFK Jr. is endangering public health “He did not have any data or science to point to,” Monarez said, which led her to recount a specific moment for the Senate committee. Kennedy wanted Monarez to preapprove recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the CDC panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. “We got into an exchange where I had suggested that I would be open to changing childhood vaccine schedules, if the evidence or science were supportive, and he responded that there was no science or evidence associated with the childhood vaccine schedule,” Monarez said. Kennedy further said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had “never collected” that scientific evidence, she added. Cassidy, one of the handful of doctors on the committee, wanted clarification. “To be clear, he said there was not science or data, but that you still expected you to change the schedule?” he asked Monarez. “Correct,” she said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. He's also the senior editor and manager of newsletters. @Josh_Barrage
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, asked former CDC Director Susan Monarez if Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited any data or science when he directed her to accept new recommendations for childhood vaccine schedules. WATCH: Ousted CDC head Monarez warns senators that RFK Jr. is endangering public health “He did not have any data or science to point to,” Monarez said, which led her to recount a specific moment for the Senate committee. Kennedy wanted Monarez to preapprove recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the CDC panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. “We got into an exchange where I had suggested that I would be open to changing childhood vaccine schedules, if the evidence or science were supportive, and he responded that there was no science or evidence associated with the childhood vaccine schedule,” Monarez said. Kennedy further said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had “never collected” that scientific evidence, she added. Cassidy, one of the handful of doctors on the committee, wanted clarification. “To be clear, he said there was not science or data, but that you still expected you to change the schedule?” he asked Monarez. “Correct,” she said. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now