Senator Cassidy blames Trump vaccine policy for rising US measles deaths

September 17, 2026 at 12:45 AM2 min

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Republican Senator Bill Cassidy blamed the Trump administration's vaccination policies for an uptick in measles deaths in the United States. Cassidy pressed surgeon general nominee Dr Nicole Saphier on whether the MMR vaccine causes autism during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. The US is facing its most severe measles outbreak in more than 35 years, with three deaths reported in Pennsylvania.

Key Facts

Senator Bill Cassidy said three people have died from a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, with a fourth death under review.
The US is facing its most severe measles outbreak in more than 35 years.
Dr Nicole Saphier, the surgeon general nominee, said she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism.
The US has not had a surgeon general since January 2025.

Senate Confirmation Hearing

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy pressed Dr Nicole Saphier, the Trump administration's nominee for surgeon general, for a straightforward answer on whether the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine causes autism. Saphier initially stated that she has 'not seen reputable evidence' that vaccines cause autism. Under further questioning from Cassidy, who called her answer a 'bit of an equivocation', she said that the MMR vaccine was 'our greatest tool for combating measles' and that she did not believe that childhood vaccines cause autism. The health committee is weighing Trump's nominations of Saphier for surgeon general, Chris Klomp for deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, and Dr Timothy Westlake to lead the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Measles Outbreak and Vaccination Policy

The US is currently facing its most severe measles outbreak in more than 35 years, a development that scientists and public health experts attribute to increasing scepticism towards vaccinations. Cassidy stated that three people have died from a measles outbreak in the state of Pennsylvania, with a fourth death still under review. Members of the Trump administration, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. and the president himself, have been criticised for promoting debunked claims linking vaccines to autism. The US has not had a surgeon general since January 2025, as Trump's two previous picks have faced opposition and questions in the Senate about their qualifications.