Senate medical affairs committee hears nomination of Dr. Edward Simmer to lead South Carolina Department of Public Health

Dr. Edward Simmer, nominee to continue as director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, told the Senate Medical Affairs Committee on the record that he supports “medical freedom” and defended his agency’s COVID-era decisions while outlining recent agency accomplishments and plans.

Simmer made the remarks at a committee confirmation hearing chaired by Senator Burton. He called misinformation about his record “outrageously false,” said he has “never supported” vaccine mandates and summarized DPH work on newborn screening, immunization records, a new public health laboratory and a mobile maternity unit funded by the legislature.

The hearing’s nut graf: the session combined a defense of Simmer’s leadership with a public review of DPH operations and policy priorities, and included sharp questions from senators about COVID vaccine safety and public trust. The committee did not take a confirmation vote and recessed the hearing to continue at the chair’s call.

In prepared remarks, Dr. Simmer described his background and the arc of his agency’s work. He noted the committee had previously given him a favorable report in February 2021 and said he was confirmed by the full Senate “by a vote of 40 to 1” and assumed duties on Feb. 4, 2021. Simmer said DPH has expanded newborn screening, performed more than 240,000 newborn screenings…