Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL) discussed the importance of the Trump Administration's reforms to the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vaccine mandates in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Evening Edit, saying "no one is anti-vaccine, but what we are is anti-mandate."
On Thursday, CDC advisers voted to stop recommending the combined MMRV vaccine, which prevents measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox), offering an option to break it up into two doses.
Speaking as a new mother, Rep. Cammack described how "within 24 hours, my husband and I were already getting discussions from the pediatricians and the doctors about my child getting a Hep B vaccine," despite testing negative, because the CDC recommended it.
"If the CDC recommends this, and they have proven it safe over the last 30 years, then why is there still immunity for the companies that issue these drugs? That was the question I kept asking, and no one can answer that," Rep. Cammack continued.
The Florida Congresswoman further emphasized that "the CDC is long overdue for reviewing this. They should be doing this often, because that is really what science is all about: updating, questioning, continuing to evolve in what we know, and the data should reflect that."
"Unfortunately, the data has not done that," she added. "So taking away this one-size-fits-all approach in these mandates is really important, because at the end of the day, no one is anti-vaccine, but what we are is anti-mandate. So this is about parental empowerment and really, actually focusing in on the data and the science for the first time in a long time."
Host Elizabeth MacDonald questioned Cammack over her opinion on the decision to break the MMRV vaccine into two separate shots. "We have looked at the data, and we have seen where there are actual vaccine injuries where children do not have good reactions," she responded.
"That is not in every case, but there is a case to be made that all of these vaccines should not be given in one fell swoop because of the high concentrations of aluminum, for example," Cammack concluded. "And we have seen where there has been brain swelling and inflammation, and again, the science is showing us this. And when parents have informed consent, they can make the best decisions for themselves and their children."
