U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is facing major backlash for criticizing Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. despite voting to confirm him earlier this year.
A federal vaccine advisory committee—made up of members appointed by Kennedy—voted on Friday to abolish the recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine the day that they are born. Medical experts, including Cassidy, blasted the decision and urged new parents to continue to vaccinate their children.
Cassidy urged the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to sign the new recommendations.
“As a liver doctor who has treated patients with hepatitis B for decades, this change to the vaccine schedule is a mistake. The hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective. The birth dose is a recommendation, NOT a mandate. Before the birth dose was recommended, 20,000 newborns a year were infected with hepatitis B. Now, it’s fewer than 20,” Cassidy wrote on X.
“Ending the recommendation for newborns makes it more likely the number of cases will begin to increase again. This makes America sicker. Acting CDC Director O’Neill should not sign these new recommendations and instead retain the current, evidence-based approach,” he added.
His statement was met with criticism on X, with many pundits noting that he voted to confirm Kennedy. Kennedy is a longtime vaccine skeptic who installed members critical of vaccines to the federal vaccine advisory committee.
Former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh, who joined the Democratic Party in June, responded to Cassidy’s statement on X.
“I agree with everything you say here my former congressional colleague. And I also blame you for everything that you say here. Because you had the power to stop this quack. And you caved. Shame on you,” he wrote.
MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote: “Cassidy continues to pay lip service to the public health catastrophe he created with his cowardice.”
Cassidy’s post also has a number of critics bashing him in the comments.
The Republicans Against Trump account commented: “Do you regret voting to confirm RFK Jr., who’s implementing these dangerous policies?”
MeidasTouch wrote: “You did this. This is all your fault. You will live with the consequences of your actions forever — and unfortunately, so will all Americans.”
David Steensma, a doctor, wrote: “Yes, but this is your fault. You voted to confirm RFK Jr knowing he was unqualified and would be a menace to public health, and that Americans of all political leanings would be harmed as a result.”
For decades, the government has advised that all babies be vaccinated against the liver infection right after birth. The shots are widely considered to be a public health success for preventing thousands of illnesses.
But Kennedy’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices decided to recommend the birth dose only for babies whose mothers test positive, and in cases where the mom wasn’t tested.
For other babies, it will be up to the parents and their doctors to decide if a birth dose is appropriate. The committee voted 8-3 to suggest that when a family decides not to get a birth dose, then the vaccination series should begin when the child is 2 months old.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
