The senator whose vote put conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of Health and Human Services is furious that he’s altered the child vaccine schedule.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee chair Bill Cassidy, 68, gave Kennedy, 71, his support on the grounds that he wouldn’t interfere with immunization practices. Now he’s been left furious after the raw milk enthusiast ripped up the national pediatric vaccine schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It roadmaps routine shots for children and babies, but has now been replaced by a new version that no longer recommends immunization against rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, or hepatitis A.
Trained physician Cassidy was unable to hide his fury at RFK Jr.’s new schedule, which cites a loss of public confidence in vaccinations for the change. It aligns the CDC’s recommendations closely with those of the Danish government, despite the Scandinavian country’s wildly different demographics from those of the U.S.
“As a doctor who treated patients for decades, my top priority is protecting children and families,” the Republican said on X. “Multiple children have died or were hospitalized from measles, and South Carolina continues to face a growing outbreak. Two children have died in my state from whooping cough. All of this was preventable with safe and effective vaccines.
“The vaccine schedule IS NOT A MANDATE. It’s a recommendation giving parents the power. Changing the pediatric vaccine schedule based on no scientific input on safety risks and little transparency will cause unnecessary fear for patients and doctors, and will make America sicker.”
Recommendations for polio and measles jabs remain in place following Monday’s announcement.
Kennedy’s act of defiance is just the latest against Cassidy, who reluctantly gave him his support if he promised to “maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations without changes.”
The former independent presidential candidate also previously duped the Louisiana senator by promising he wouldn’t alter the CDC’s position that vaccines do not cause autism. That has now been changed, with RFK Jr. saying the science is inconclusive.
In November, days after the autism fiasco and with the wool pulled firmly over his eyes, Cassidy appeared on CNN’s State of the Union, where he refused to admit Kennedy had played him.
“RFK Jr., according to his own family, is causing real damage to the health of the U.S.,” host Jake Tapper said. “You don’t seem willing to criticize him by name at all.”
Tapper was referencing Kennedy’s cousin, Tatiana Schlossberg, the 35-year-old granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy, who died from terminal cancer on Dec. 30. Before her death, she had been insistent that RFK Jr. was doing damage to the healthcare system.
“Clearly, you want me to be on the record saying something negative,” Cassidy clapped back at Tapper at the time. “Of course, it makes news if Republicans fight each other.”
HHS says it hopes the pivot to the new vaccine schedule will improve uptake of the shots it deems most important. Kennedy said in a statement, “We are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”
His decision to remove influenza from the schedule comes as the U.S. suffers through its worst flu season in 25 years.
“This is definitely a banner year [for flu cases],” Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Rivers told CNN. “It’s the worst we’ve had in at least 20 years. We’re seeing a majority of the country is experiencing very high levels of activity, and we’re still in the thick of it.”
In a written press statement, Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said, “This is a moment for clarity, urgency, and action. These viruses are serious, dangerous, and life-threatening. We are seeing children who are seriously ill, families grieving devastating losses, and hospitals under capacity strain.”
The Daily Beast has contacted representatives for Cassidy and Kennedy for comment.
