Americans will die due to Bobby Junior's destruction of the agency
The upheaval at the CDC comes just weeks after a gunman attacked the campus, reportedly fueled by grievances about the COVID vaccine.
The CDC has also been rocked by watered-down COVID vaccine recommendations that
came from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and
his surrogates who have announced new reviews of autism causes and COVID
vaccines, both hot-button issues of Kennedy and other vaccine critics.
Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, director of the Center for
Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota,
publisher of CIDRAP News, said the loss of top CDC staff is the result of
failed leadership of extremists at HHS, which oversees the CDC. "These
departures are a serious loss for America. They make our country less safe and
less prepared for public health emergencies."
Public health experts speak out
Celine Gounder, MD, an infectious disease specialist and
senior fellow at KFF, said on X that the losses leave the CDC
with a leadership vacuum at a critical time. "Already this year, 25% of
CDC staff have been laid off, including many center directors."
She pointed out that the three top officials who resigned, Debra Houry, MD, MPH, (chief science and medical officer), Demetre
Daskalakis, MD, MPH (director of the National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases), and Dan Jernigan, MD, MPH, (director of the National
Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases), didn't have jobs lined
up elsewhere.
"This isn't about making big pharma bucks. They jumped
without a parachute. There is no plan B," she wrote. "They did this
out of their sense of moral conscience & professional duty."
Ashish Jha, MD, MPH, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, on X called the developments a wholesale destruction of leadership at CDC. "Most of the top leaders who run key centers have resigned en masse. Total implosion," he wrote, adding that the exodus is linked to Kennedy's leadership.
Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International and who
led COVID, mpox, and Ebola efforts at USAID, on X called the resignations
massive losses. "Incredible professionals who helped lead the fights
against Ebola, Mpox, and HIV, among many many others. I've had the privilege of
working with Dan and Demetre, and they are the best of the best."
"This does enormous damage to Americans' health,"
he said.
Ali Kahn, MD, MPH, dean of the University of Nebraska
Medical College's College of Public Health and former assistant surgeon
general, said on X that the CDC director's
ouster and the wave of senior leadership resignations isn’t just a political
shake-up. "It's a threat to the
nation's ability to respond to current public health threats and the next
pandemic."
Professional
societies air deep concerns
Medical
organizations were also quick to share deep concerns about the impact of the
CDC developments. In a statement from the Infectious Diseases Society o f
America (IDSA), its director, Tina Tan, MD, said the mass resignations of CDC
experts presents a clear and present danger and leaves the nation vulnerable to
a wide range of public health threats.
"This loss of highly experienced CDC leadership is the
latest devastating result of the Administration's sustained attacks on public
health, and it absolutely must be the last," she said. "It is time
for fundamental changes and a return to evidence-based policy. The
Administration's current trajectory for destroying the public health system is
reckless and cannot continue."
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) said it is deeply disappointed by Monarez's sudden departure so soon after her confirmation. "In an era marked by increasing assaults on science and public health, CDC must be empowered to rise above politics and remain focused on their core purpose: safeguarding and improving the health of communities," SHEA said. "While there may be differing perspectives on how best to achieve this goal, it is clear that qualified, steady leadership is indispensable to guiding the path forward."
The American Society for
Microbiology said the CDC leadership purge poses a serious public
health threat, especially as the nation heads into flu season and faces ongoing
infectious disease threats. “Without the steady guidance of these experienced
public health leaders, the Administration has a tall task in safeguarding the
American people. A strong CDC, guided by science and public health expertise,
is essential to the health security of the nation," the society said,
adding that vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools for preventing disease,
cutting hospitalizations, and saving lives.
The American College of
Emergency Physicians lauded Houry, one of its members, for her
deep understanding of the healthcare system and the lasting impacts she's made
on the nation's health and safety. The group aired deep concerns about what the
new leadership transitions could mean for the future of the CDC. "We urge
the administration to prioritize continuity and carry on the CDC's history of a
strong commitment to public health and science in its next steps. The stakes
are too high to risk uncertainty in one of our most vital health institutions."
Political leaders call for hearing
The departures also quickly caught the attention of
lawmakers, including Sen Bill Cassidy, MD, (R-LA), who cast the tiebreaking
vote that advanced Kennedy's HHS nomination to a full Senate vote in early
February after getting specific promises from Kennedy, said on X that the
high-profile departures will require oversight by the Senate Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, which he leads.
Sen Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of
the HELP committee, in a statement called
Monarez's willingness to stand up for science and protect CDC's integrity
commendable.
"If there are any adults left in the White House, it's
well past time they face reality and fire RFK Jr. He is a dangerous man who is
determined to abuse his authority to act on truly terrifying conspiracy
theories and disinformation—leaving us unprepared for the next deadly pandemic
and snuffing out potential cures while he’s at it," she said, calling on
her Republican colleagues to join her in calling for his immediate termination
from office.
Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said on X that attempts to fire Monarez
for her commitment to public health and vaccines after only a few weeks on the
job are outrageous. He said the Senate HELP committee must hold a hearing with
Kennedy and Monarez as soon as possible. "Vaccines save lives.
Period."
Vaccines save lives. Period.
Rep Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) on X called Daskalakis'
resignation letter chilling, adding that Kennedy is driving out dedicated
public health experts because they refuse to rubber stamp his dangerous views
on vaccines.
"These experts are our first line of defense against
outbreaks and emerging threats," he wrote. "Their resignations make
clear that they are no longer being allowed to do their jobs to protect the
health and safety of the American people. We must heed this warning and fight
back against the continued politicization of our public health
institutions."
Kennedy chafes under criticism
Following the exodus of top CDC staff and outcry from health
experts and politicians, Kennedy criticized the CDC but declined to comment on
personnel issues during an appearance on Fox News. He took issue with the
CDC's response to COVID regarding vaccination, social distancing, and school
closures.
Kennedy also questioned the inclusion of vaccines and
fluoridation—two of his top issues—on a 1999 CDC list published in MMWR of top 10 public health advances. He
also said the list includes abortion, which it does not. Rather, the list
includes family planning and healthier mothers and babies. "There's really
a deeply, deeply embedded, I would say malaise at the agency," Kennedy
said.
