Susan Monarez, Trump's nominee for CDC director, affirmed during her Senate confirmation hearing that vaccines are safe and life-saving, and committed to prioritizing their availability if confirmed13.
Monarez explicitly stated she has not seen any causal link between vaccines and autism, countering claims promoted by some vaccine skeptics13.
Her comments come as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is advancing policies to restrict vaccine access and halt U.S. support for global vaccine initiatives such as the Gavi Alliance; Monarez said she was not involved in these decisions3.
Monarez has served as acting CDC director since January 2025 and, if confirmed, would be the first director in over 50 years without a medical degree1.
During her hearing, Monarez was repeatedly questioned about disagreements with Kennedy's vaccine positions but avoided directly addressing those differences3.
Sources:
1. https://www.biospace.com/policy/trumps-cdc-pick-says-vaccines-are-safe-promises-to-keep-them-available
3. https://www.statnews.com/2025/06/25/susan-monarez-cdc-director-senate-help-hearing-vaccines-save-lives/