Sunflower State News

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan to discuss the recent Senate Finance Committee hearing featuring Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is currently leading efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During the interview, Marshall highlighted President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Kennedy as a means of reforming the CDC.

“Look, President Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be a disruptor to the CDC, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. He’s focused on making the CDC more transparent to make it more trustworthy. Right now, Americans don’t trust the CDC, so he is literally turning that place upside down. I respect what my colleagues are saying, but I think this whole issue today, or in that meeting, was about vaccines. In my humble opinion, not every person needs every vaccine, and I don’t think there are many children out there that need 76 jabs by the time they’re old enough to vote. But before you label me a non-vax person, look, I’ve raised money for polio vaccinations. The MMR is a great vaccine; it saved thousands of lives. Vaccines overall have saved hundreds of millions of lives, but not every person needs every vaccine, and we just want to empower parents and doctors to make great decisions.”

Marshall addressed concerns regarding public trust in the CDC following its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Well, look, of course, I condemn that shooting, but the lack of confidence in the CDC goes back to what the CDC did during COVID. They misguided us, maybe lied to us, even about the origins of COVID and how to treat it as well. In the vaccine, they overpromised what the vaccine could do as well. So that’s where the distrust is, and now Bobby Kennedy is in there trying to clean up that distrust and trying to give American parents and grandparents and the doctors the right information, transparent information, to make good decisions.”

On Operation Warp Speed and current immunity levels among Americans compared with five years ago at COVID-19's onset: “I disagree with you. I think it’s such a different time today than it was five years ago. Five years ago we had a novel virus. None of us had any immunity to it as a strange virus made in a lab in Wuhan China. But today on average Americans have had COVID five times. We now have natural immunity to it and not everybody needs the vaccine. So both things can be true... It was a different day then than it is today.”

Marshall also commented on guidelines for accessing vaccines: “Look I disagree... Think about this; what the CDC is now saying is if you’re over age 65 you can have [the] vaccine... So all you need do is email or call your doctor’s nurse and get a prescription... If you’re over age six months it's probably a good idea talk your doctor... There’s so many more important things out there... We should be talking about chronic diseases 20% our adolescents have obesity mental health problems in vaccine under prescription drugs... There’s so many more things talk about than just COVID vaccines.”

Addressing recommendations for hepatitis B vaccination at birth: “I delivered a baby every day for 25 years we did hepatitis test on every one my patients at time delivery… If that mom has negative hepatitis test she’s stable monogamous relationship… zero chance baby going have hepatitis… other babies do need it… We can’t be overly prescriptive… Not every baby needs hepatitis vaccine especially day number one…”

Regarding differing approaches between political parties on vaccination policy: “This big difference between Democrats Republicans Democrats want one-size-fits-all prescription everybody… confidence doctors nurses parents grandparents make these decisions… shouldn’t have government policy dictates every one these vaccines…”

When asked about Secretary Kennedy's report concerning Tylenol use during pregnancy: “Look Tylenol Category B drug I've given lots patients approved list… try tell my patients not my pregnant women not take anything because we don't know what we don't know… want gold standard studies help figure this out sort out… far as know Tylenol okay pregnancy.”