WATCH: Senate health committee advances Dr. Nicole Saphier's nomination for surgeon general

Nicole Saphier, MD, the third nominee for surgeon general by President Donald Trump, advanced closer to confirmation after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) voted 12-11 on Wednesday to advance her nomination. Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News Channel contributor, faced intense questioning during her confirmation hearing regarding her stance on childhood vaccines.

She expressed support for vaccines and firmly stated that she does not believe they cause autism, despite the recent calls from the president for MMR shots to be spaced out, contrary to medical recommendations.

The surgeon general role, while limited in policymaking power, provides a powerful platform as the nation's top communicator on public health issues. During the hearing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) pressed Saphier to confirm her belief that vaccines do not cause autism, to which she responded affirmatively. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the ranking member of the Senate HELP committee, expressed his opposition to Saphier's nomination, citing her previous questioning of the necessity of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.

Other nominees also saw success in the committee. Timothy Westlake, MD, nominated to serve as assistant secretary for mental health and substance use at HHS, and Chris Klomp, nominated to serve as deputy secretary of HHS, were both advanced out of committee on a 12-11 vote. Following their respective votes, Senators Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sanders made public their objections to Klomp and Saphier's confirmations, respectively, citing their perceived misrepresentation of vaccine-related issues.