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Trump's surgeon general pick backs vaccines at Senate hearing. Dr. Nicole Saphier told the Senate HELP Committee that the MMR vaccine is "our greatest tool for combatting measles" and that childhood vaccines do not cause autism. Her testimony comes as a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania grows and public trust in vaccine safety continues to decline.
Dr. Nicole Saphier, President Trump's third nominee for US Surgeon General, faced pointed questions from the Senate HELP Committee about vaccine safety — a politically charged topic amid a worsening measles outbreak and eroding public trust. Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, firmly stated that the MMR vaccine is not lethal and does not cause autism, calling it "the best tool we have to combat these infections." She also acknowledged the hepatitis B vaccine as "one of the most tangible ways we have to prevent cancer," though she stopped short of offering an unequivocal recommendation for universal birth-dose vaccination.
Senators on both sides pressed Saphier on her willingness to maintain scientific integrity and resist political pressure, to which she pledged to uphold her professional ethics. Separately, Trump's deputy HHS nominee Chris Klomp called for a "clear definition" of measles-associated deaths and committed to transparent reporting on the CDC's website.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With vaccine hesitancy rising and a deadly measles outbreak underway, the surgeon general's stance on immunization carries enormous public health weight. Saphier's testimony signals a potential return to evidence-based vaccine advocacy from the nation's top doctor — but questions remain about how much independence she'll have in a politically charged HHS environment.
