Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, publicly diverged from President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric regarding the MMR vaccine. During the Sunday, Aug. 23 episode of "Face the Nation," hosted by Margaret Brennan, the former television talk show host and cardiothoracic surgeon explicitly stated that "the MMR vaccine is not a lethal vaccine."
The interview followed comments made by President Trump earlier in August. While signing an executive order at the White House, the President suggested to reporters that there could be a possibility the MMR vaccine—which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella—is "quite lethal" when administered together, while claiming that separate doses appeared to be "not at all lethal, but just very effective."
Oz, who was appointed to his current role by the Trump administration, defended his stance by emphasizing the concept of parental rights. This argument serves as a common talking point for the Department of Health and Human Services, the parent agency of the CMS. Oz’s public clarification arrives as the administration faces increasing scrutiny from medical experts and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, particularly with the crucial midterm elections now just over two months away.
Medical professionals maintain that the MMR vaccine is not lethal in its current form. Furthermore, existing medical research does not support the President's assertions that dividing the immunizations provides any health benefits to children. On Aug. 16, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, criticized the President's statements during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, describing the false assertions as "potentially tragic" and "wrong on so many levels."
