Lawmakers grill RFK Jr. on vaccine approach

There was a lot of shouting at the Senate Finance Committee hearing. Dr. Jon LaPook will help us cut through the noise.

But we begin with Caitlin Huey-Burns, who was at the shouting location, the Capitol. Caitlin. Yes, and that hearing was as dramatic as advertised. But unlike most events up here on Capitol Hill, it didn't fall on partisan lines. Kennedy faced really tough questions from both Democrats and Republicans alike, but he remained defiant through it all. For over three hours on Capitol Hill today, lawmakers from both parties grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., much of it over his agency's approach to vaccines. I'm asking the questions for Mr. Kennedy on behalf of parents and schools and teachers all over the United States of America who deserve so much better than your leadership. I'm a doctor. Vaccines work. Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines. Since then, I've grown deeply concerned. CAITLIN HUEY-BURNS: Kennedy fired and replaced all 17 members of a key CDC vaccine advisory panel, which is set to meet later this month to discuss vaccine recommendations. Last month, the FDA limited access to the COVID vaccine to those over 65 or with underlying health conditions. Will you tell America that all adults and all children over six months of age are eligible to get a COVID booster at their local pharmacy today? Anybody can get the booster. Anybody is eligible to get a booster by just walking into the pharmacy? It's not recommended for healthy people. No, no, if you don't recommend, then the consequence of that, in many states, is that you can't walk into a pharmacy and get one. CAITLIN HUEY-BURNS: Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician who helped Kennedy get confirmed only after he got assurances from Kennedy that he wouldn't restrict vaccine access, said this today. I would say, effectively, we're denying people vaccine. CAITLIN HUEY-BURNS: Kennedy also defended the recent ouster of his hand-picked CDC director, Susan Monarez, who wrote in an op-ed today that she "was told to preapprove the recommendations of a vaccine advisory panel newly filled with people who have publicly expressed antivaccine rhetoric." Did you, in fact, do what Director Monarez said you did, which is tell her to just go along with vaccine recommendations, even if she didn't think such recommendations aligned with scientific evidence? No, I did not say that to her.

So she's lying today to the American people? Yes, sir. CAITLIN HUEY-BURNS: Kennedy once praised Monarez as unimpeachable. After her exit, several top CDC officials resigned last week. We need bold, competent, and creative new leadership at CDC. Caitlin, after all of this today, where does RFK Jr. stand with President Trump when it comes to keeping his job? Well, more Democrats up here on Capitol Hill called for Kennedy's resignation today, but that is highly unlikely because he still enjoys the support of the president. And in our polling out today, a vast majority of Republicans approve of his job performance, even if the broader public does not. So he may be called for further testimony at other committees, but for now, at least, his job is safe.

OK, Caitlin Huey-Burns at the Capitol on the Hill tonight. Thank you.

And we are joined now by our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Jon LaPook. So you are a practicing physician, Dr. LaPook. What did you make of this hearing? One of the reasons behind such a heated hearing is decisions are being made outside of the usual process. For example, the CDC's vaccine advisory committee usually meets over two to three days, tons of research materials available, and various stakeholders weighing in because the stakes are so high. What's often happening now is decisions are being announced over social media, without the evidence behind it being available for people to really do a deep dive on. So as my math teacher used to say, show me your work. We've been hearing today and other days recently people making the case that getting a vaccine should be between you and your doctor. Is it as simple as that? Well, first of all, childhood vaccinations work, with research estimating that more than 10,000 deaths and more than a million illnesses are prevented every year. But I do understand the instinct of a parent to say, don't tell me what to do with my child. I want to take the chances, for example, of an infection like the measles. What they may not realize is that when they're rolling the dice for their child, they're also rolling it for millions of people who are immunocompromised. 3 and 1/2 million babies are born each year, who usually don't get the measles vaccine until 12 months of age.