The former White House coronavirus response coordinator said Sunday that he is looking forward to the Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as a unique opportunity to deliver policy transparency. He said there was. A discussion about the health of Americans.
Dr. Deborah Birx, who served in Trump's first administration, appeared on CBS's “Face the Nation” and was asked detailed questions about the possibility of Kennedy leading the agency. his views on health issues such as vaccines;
“That's why when he talks about transparency, I'm actually excited that he's going to present his data in a Senate hearing and questions from senators will reveal their data. ,” Birx said of Kennedy. “What I know for sure is that he's a very smart guy who can move his data and evidence base forward.”
When asked about Kennedy's past controversial comments about vaccines, Birx said Kennedy expressed concern about an issue that “many Americans believe is already a problem.” said.
“Every mother visits a kindergarten classroom with a child with autism,” she said. “That's scary for moms and dads. They want to know why. So it's not enough to say vaccines don't cause autism. It's up to me to find out what causes autism. It’s us.”
Birx, who served under President Trump from 2020 to 2021, said the Senate confirmation hearing will be a great place to review data on both sides of the debate.
“That hearing is going to be a way for Americans to actually see the data that you're talking about. We don't know the causality at this point, but what is the cause?” Birx said. He added that it would be “important” to address the causes of closure.
Birx said the White House's messaging around coronavirus vaccines won't solve the problem.
“I think what's confusing people is that it wasn't clear what the COVID-19 vaccine does and doesn't do,” she says. “So now people are wondering what my childhood vaccines do and what they don't do. And they wonder if some of the vaccines that kids are getting are giving kids both They don't understand that it protects them from disease and creates herd immunity. And some of the vaccines they receive include influenza H and Pneumovax, which protect children from getting seriously ill. Some are just for kids.”
“And we just don't explain all of this correctly,” she added about vaccines and how they work.
Regarding Kennedy's possible appointment, Birx said there is one important thing Kennedy can do to ensure success.
“I think the most important thing is what kind of team he brings in, because you're talking about a large company with a very diverse group, and Because you really have to bring it together and, frankly, eliminate some of the duplication between the teams.'' These agencies are really cost-effective. ”
