Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a doctor and chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, has criticized President Donald Trump’s vaccine order as ‘wrong on so many levels.’ The order requires separate injections for measles, mumps, and rubella, which Cassidy argues will lead to increased costs and decreased protection for children.

Concerns Over Vaccine Policy

Cassidy expressed his concerns on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ show, stating that the new policy would require parents to take their children to the doctor six times instead of two, resulting in increased costs and inconvenience. He also emphasized that the president’s proposal would ultimately lead to more children being sick, which is not a desirable outcome.

Immunologists and vaccine experts agree with Cassidy, stating that there is no valid reason to administer the vaccines separately. Trump, however, claims that ‘nothing bad can happen’ from the new policy, and that it is an attempt to improve children’s health while helping parents with costs.

Background on the Issue

The controversy surrounding Trump’s vaccine order is not new. Cassidy has been a vocal critic of the president’s health policies, particularly with regards to vaccines. He had previously secured commitments from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to maintain the government’s vaccine policies, but Kennedy has since tested those commitments by overhauling the vaccine advisory panel and amplifying skepticism of key vaccine policies.

Cassidy’s relationship with Kennedy has been strained, and he has shown a greater willingness to criticize Trump and Kennedy since being denied renomination earlier this spring. Despite this, Cassidy has stressed that his final months in the Senate are not meant to be a ‘revenge tour,’ but rather an opportunity to express his views and work towards improving the nation’s health policies.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.