During a Senate confirmation hearing, Sen. Maggie Hassan repeatedly asked CDC director nominee Dr. Michael Schwartz whether he would refuse an order from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop promoting flu vaccines during a deadly flu season. Hassan argued the question wasn’t hypothetical, pointing to last year’s flu season, when nearly 300 children died, and cited CDC data showing flu vaccination is the best way to prevent severe illness and save lives. She also referenced Kennedy’s decision to halt CDC flu vaccine promotion during that outbreak. After several attempts, Schwartz never gave a direct yes-or-no answer. Hassan ended the exchange by calling his response “really disappointing.”
