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Sen. Bill Cassidy: "Vaccines are not linked to autism," urges parents to consult doctors
Summary
Sen. Bill Cassidy told a television interviewer that vaccines are not linked to autism, urged parents to speak with physicians, and said he communicates regularly with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (referred to in the interview as "Secretary of Health"); Cassidy cited recent measles deaths as reasons to vaccinate.
Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, told a television interviewer that "vaccines are not linked to autism by any credible scientist or doctor" and urged parents to "talk to your physician." He reiterated that "vaccines are safe" and said, "They don't cause autism. That's just a figment of somebody's, you know, imagination."
Cassidy framed his remarks as public-health guidance and cited recent local cases as part of his rationale, saying measles can be fatal and referring to "two children [who] died in West Texas earlier this year" and a pregnant woman who lost a child after exposure to an unvaccinated person. He said, "Get your child vaccinated."
The host asked Cassidy to clarify recent reporting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had removed language from its website that refuted links between vaccines and autism. Cassidy repeated his view that vaccines do not cause autism and advised viewers with concerns to consult their doctors. When the host asked about Cassidy's relationship with "the Secretary of Health RFK Jr." (the host's phrasing), Cassidy said, "We communicate regularly" and that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had sent him "a very nice text" about an issue two days earlier.
Cassidy also noted that, in his telling, President Trump "agrees that vaccines are safe" and referenced the president receiving flu and COVID vaccines.
Why it matters: Public statements by elected officials about vaccine safety can influence public perceptions and behavior. Cassidy presented his position as settled medical judgment and urged physician consultation rather than online speculation. The interviewer raised a recent CDC website change and a named public figure in government communications; Cassidy treated those as matters of personal contact and reiterated his public-health advice.
What the interview did not resolve: Cassidy's references to specific local deaths and to other public figures' roles and actions were presented as his account; the interviewer did not provide documentary evidence during the segment, and Cassidy did not cite specific CDC webpages or reports.
