Monarez Affirms Lack of Connection Between Vaccines and Autism in Senate Hearing

During her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Susan Monarez, nominated to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated, “I have not seen a causal link between vaccines and autism.”

This statement was made in reply to a question posed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Monarez, who holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, previously acted as the CDC director from January to March of this year. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.

The CDC operates under the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has voiced concerns about vaccination timing.

In a 2023 interview, Kennedy asserted, “I do believe that autism comes from vaccines.” However, he later emphasized that his views on vaccines were often misinterpreted. “We should have good science. We should have the same kind of testing, placebo-controlled trials,” he remarked during a discussion with Fox News.

At his own confirmation hearing, Kennedy expressed support for vaccinations, stating, “I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine,” while assuring that nothing in his role would deter individuals from getting vaccinated. He mentioned that his children are vaccinated too.

Since taking his position in the Cabinet, Kennedy has categorized the rising incidence of autism in the U.S. as an “epidemic” and suggested that by September, the public would know “what has caused the autism epidemic.”

A CDC survey conducted in 2022 indicated that autism prevalence among children has risen to 4.8 times higher than in the first survey carried out in 2000. Current statistics show one in 31 children diagnosed with autism, compared to one in 150 in the earlier study.

During his tenure, Kennedy has made significant changes to vaccine policies. Recently, he announced the cessation of recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children. Furthermore, the FDA has indicated that new clinical trials will be necessary for the annual approval of COVID-19 boosters for healthy Americans under 65.

More recently, Kennedy took the step of removing all 17 members from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, noting that it had never recommended against a vaccine—even those subsequently withdrawn for safety reasons. He criticized the committee for its consistent conflicts of interest, calling it little more than a “rubber stamp” for vaccines.

In his remarks, Kennedy promised that the new members would bring independent judgment and promote critical inquiry within the committee. The current chairman is Martin Kulldorff, a former Harvard professor known for co-authoring the Great Barrington Declaration, which opposed COVID-19 lockdowns.