"I think that parents, for most kids, especially for the measles vaccines, the DTP, all the standard childhood vaccines, it's very important that parents vaccinate their kids," Bhattacharya said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Bhattacharya, who had also been serving as acting CDC director in recent months, said, "I'm giving my recommendation — I've vaccinated my kids." "I think if you want to protect your kids from these sort of preventable diseases, yes, you should vaccinate your kids," he said. "The best way to protect your kids from measles is to get the vaccine for measles." Kennedy is a longtime critic of vaccines, and has promoted the previously debunked connection between vaccines and autism.