The committee green light
President Trump’s pick for the next surgeon general, Nicole Saphier, is moving forward. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced her nomination on Wednesday in a party-line vote. She now heads to the full Senate for final approval.
Who is she?
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Saphier is a radiologist who previously worked as a medical contributor for Fox News and serves as the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Monmouth. She’s also an author, known for her 2020 book, "Make America Healthy Again."
During her career, she hasn’t been shy about critiquing how public health officials handled the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump himself has hyped her up as a "STAR physician" who has a talent for breaking down complex health topics for the general public.
The vaccine Vibe Check
Saphier’s confirmation path wasn’t exactly smooth. She was tapped for the role back in April, but her nomination followed the exit of Casey Means, a former nominee who had ties to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During her confirmation hearing, GOP Senator Bill Cassidy—the committee’s chair—specifically pressed her on her stance regarding vaccines. Saphier made it clear where she stands: she told the committee that the MMR vaccine is a crucial tool for fighting measles and explicitly stated she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism. That was the real tea Cassidy needed to hear; he confirmed afterward that her honesty on the science earned her his support.
Why it matters
The surgeon general is the leading spokesperson for public health in the U.S. By confirming her stance on vaccine safety, Saphier is setting a clear trajectory for her tenure—one that emphasizes traditional medical consensus despite the chaotic political climate surrounding health policy. For you, this means the person likely to lead the country's public health messaging is someone who is pushing back against vaccine skepticism. Say less.
