On July 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Sean Kaufman to serve as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). During the hearing, much of the discussion focused on vaccine policy, including the nominees' positions on the mRNA platform, the flu vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, and more. Members and nominees also spoke of the challenges the nominees would face, if confirmed, in restoring trust in CDC and public health agencies.

Republican members largely focused their questioning on ways to rebuild that trust, individual liberty concerns related to mandates, nutrition/MAHA priorities, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) reshoring, and more. Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) repeatedly questioned both nominees on following the science in the face of political pressure and mRNA research. Democrats focused their questioning on the nominees' willingness to resist political interference in decision-making related to vaccines, particularly from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with many citing the firing of former CDC Director Susan Monarez. Democrats also asked the nominees about their positions on specific vaccines and vaccine research, the elimination of the Office on Smoking and Health, data reporting cuts related to the cyclosporiasis outbreak, and more. Both witnesses affirmed that vaccines are safe and effective but noted there may be instances in which a vaccine should be more narrowly targeted to certain populations. The witnesses also both pledged to follow the science but repeatedly pushed back on statements that Secretary Kennedy or President Trump would ever direct them to violate scientific integrity.

More information is available here.

Additional information is available in the WCEY Health Alert, attached below.