Cassidy on Trump's vaccine order, 'crazy, stupid' claims: 'This is why the president's poll numbers are going down'

Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician and Republican from Louisiana, has criticized President Trump's executive order on childhood vaccinations. Cassidy described the claims behind the order as "crazy, stupid" and said they are contributing to the president's declining poll numbers, according to The Hill.

The order, signed by Trump, alters the recommended childhood vaccination schedule. It suggests splitting the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into separate shots, which would result in children needing six shots instead of two. Cassidy told ABC News that this change would drive up costs, inconvenience families, and provide no medical benefit.

Cassidy also stated that there is "no evidence whatsoever" that vaccines cause autism. The Guardian reported that Trump's order was influenced by anti-vaccine activist Robert F Kennedy, whom Cassidy had voted to confirm as a health secretary. The changes to the vaccination schedule have been met with concern from medical experts, who warn that they could undo public health advances.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, The Guardian US, The Guardian, The Guardian Australia, ABC News (US) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.