The director of the CDC, the nominee, Susan Monarch, on the grill of vaccines, public health at the confirmation audience

Wednesday’s confirmation hearing for the election of President Donald Trump for the Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Susan Monaz Jr. should be confirmed.

At the beginning of the audience, Monaz was clear about his support for vaccines, an issue in which Kennedy has expressed certain skepticism.

“I think vaccines save lives. I think we must continue supporting the promotion of vaccines,” said Monaz.

His comments occurred as asked by the independent senator Bernie Sanders about a recent decision. Reported by politician that Kennedy has decided to end the US funds for an alliance of global vaccines, Gavi.

“I was not involved in that decision -making. If I am confirmed as director of the CDC, I will certainly investigate it, and I am happy to follow up with you,” said Monarch.

Kennedy has celebrated many opinions of vaccines-escépticas, refuted by experts and high quality studies, long before the administration joined, but has insisted that it is not “anti-cacamian” and rather “pro-segration.”

Monarch was also separated from Kennedy about his views on autism and if there is any link between neurological disorder and children’s vaccines, which Kennedy has long increased as a potential reason for growing rates of autism diagnoses.

“I have not seen a causal bond between vaccines and autism,” said Monarch when Sanders asked if he agrees with the position of the American Medical Association “that there is no scientific link proven between vaccines and autism.”

Kennedy, at his own confirmation audience, refused to recognize that there is no link between vaccines and autism, which makes the key vote of Senator Bill Cassidy, republican and doctor.

Since then, Kennedy has launched a great effort in the National Health Institutes to analyze the causes of the increasing diagnoses of autism.

The myth that vaccines cause autism was born from a fraudulent study of 1998, hypothesizing that measles, papers, the rubella vaccine caused intestinal inflammation, which, in turn, led to the development of autism.

Since then, the document has been discredited by health experts, retired from the magazine in which it was published, and its main author, Andrew Wakefield, lost his medical license after an investigation discovered that he had acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in the realization of his investigation.

Since then, more than a dozen high quality studies have not found evidence of a link between children’s vaccines and autism.

When asked if he believed that fluorked water in his city of Maryland was safe, since Kennedy continues on a way to eliminate the fluoride from water systems throughout the country, he said: “I think that water in Potomac, Maryland, is safe.”

In addition, when asked if you have any prejudice against RNM vaccine technology, which Kennedy has belittled, said: “I have no prejudice against the ARNM platform or any other approach that is being taken to develop vaccines.”

Monarch has served in a series of the main public health roles of the government under multiple presidents on both sides of the hall. It has been almost two decades focused on technology and public health, including the leadership of a center created by former President Joe Biden to develop an innovative cancer treatment.

But on Wednesday, Monaz seemed to walk a very fine line, supporting her future boss, Kennedy, while responding to the Democrats who pushed her to denounce actions that have been controversial in the Public Health sphere, including changes in the CDC vaccine advice panel, also known as ACIP.

Earlier this month, Kennedy eliminated the 17 functions of the CDC vaccine advisory committee and replaced them with new members. The measure has been controversial, and some experts say that the United States “less prepared for threats of infectious diseases.”

Democratic senator Patty Murray pressed Monarch about whether he would follow the group’s recommendations if he proposed “eliminate[ing] Vaccines of vaccines “or not approving new vaccines” in opposition to clear and established science. “

Monaz replied that she “would be an active listener” during ACIP meetings and “would observe how ACIP members can evaluate this complex scientific information and a statistical analysis that is destined for the risk-benefit.”

Democratic senator Maggie Hassan asked Monaz if there was any area in which Kennedy did not agree. Monarch did not respond with any specific problem, but described herself as an “independent thinker”, who said Kennedy values.

Hassan retreated: “When the secretary said it is very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person, aren’t there concerns about that?”

Monarch replied that measles can be fatal in one in every 1,000 people, but Hassan interrupted it, adding: “Correct, so it can be able to affirm independently in public that differs with the secretary is something very, very important, and at this time it is showing a real reluctance to do so.”

Trump took advantage of Monarch to direct the CDC in March after the administration withdrew the other Trump team, Dr. David Weldon, to head the agency citing the fact that he did not have the necessary votes to be confirmed.

Monaz served as director of CDC acting from January to March, when she left office because she was nominated to be a director.

He has experience in the public and private sector, including the work in the government under former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Biden’s first mandate. His work has included strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance as well.