Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. admitted that CDC director nominee Dave Weldon wasn't ready for the role as the White House withdrew his nomination, according to a report.
Scheduled for a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday morning, Weldon's nomination was abruptly pulled by the White House amid mounting criticism, Axios reported.
Weldon's history of questioning vaccine safety made him a contentious choice to lead the CDC, an agency responsible for public health guidance. Sources close to the Senate health committee confirmed to the outlet that the decision to withdraw was made before his hearing, avoiding what likely would have been a heated debate over his fitness for the role.
According to one source, Kennedy stated that Weldon wasn't ready.
Weldon, who served in Congress from 1995 to 2009, has long promoted vaccine skepticism. He co-sponsored a bill to ban mercury from vaccines and previously expressed concerns about thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative removed from childhood vaccines in 2001.
While numerous studies have found no link between thimerosal and autism, Weldon's past statements on the subject have drawn scrutiny, especially as vaccine misinformation remains a public health concern.
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