RFK Jr. and Maggie Hassan Clash Over Controversial HHS Hire David Geyer

Measles Outbreak and Vaccination

• 🎯 Measles is a significant concern, with two children in Texas tragically dying this year, marking the first deaths in over two decades.
• 💉 The measles vaccine is highlighted as the best way to protect children and prevent the spread of the disease.
• 🗣️ Secretary Kennedy affirmed that vaccination is the most effective method to prevent measles.

Controversy Over David Geyer's Hiring

• ⚠️ Senator Hassan questioned HHS Secretary Kennedy about the hiring of David Geyer to lead autism research.
• 🔍 Hassan alleged Geyer fraudulently posed as a doctor, administered dangerous medications, and gave hormone blockers to children with autism as young as eight, posing a substantial risk of harm.
• 🚫 Hassan demanded to know if Geyer would be fired, stating he has no medical license or training.

Secretary Kennedy's Defense of Geyer

• 🗣️ Secretary Kennedy denied Hassan's claims, stating they were untrue and that Geyer was not hired to manage autism research.
• ⚖️ He stated that a Maryland Board of Medicine finding against Geyer for practicing medicine without a license and administering hormone blockers was reversed by a court, which found the board guilty of actual malice.
• 👨‍⚕️ Kennedy clarified Geyer's role was with the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSDSL), hired by an independent contractor to review data integrity and identify missing information, as Congress had ordered the CDC to grant Geyer access.
• 🧐 Geyer is described as the only independent scientist to have seen the VSDSL data, which has faced allegations of fraud and missing information.

Senate Committee Exchange

• 🏛️ The exchange occurred during a Senate Health Committee hearing.
• 📜 Senator Hassan submitted findings from the Maryland Board of Licensing and website printouts showing Geyer's employment for the record.
• ⏳ Senator Hassan's time expired before a full resolution, but the issue of Geyer's employment and past actions remained a point of contention.