Nine Former CDC Leaders Slam Health Secretary RFK Jr’s Policies
WASHINGTON — In a scathing open letter, nine former leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have denounced Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr for his controversial policies. These policies include restricting vaccines, pulling funding for research, and terminating thousands of healthcare workers.
The former CDC bosses also expressed concern over the recent removal of Dr Susan Monarez as CDC director, which led to a wave of resignations in protest, further fueling what they described as a “raging fire”.
On the other hand, Kennedy defended his actions by claiming that the CDC had deviated from its “core mission” and cited issues such as bureaucratic inertia, politicized science, and mission creep as reasons for his decisions.
In an open letter published in the New York Times, the former health leaders described Kennedy’s seven-month tenure as Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary as unprecedented and alarming. The letter was titled: “We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health”.
Since assuming office, Kennedy has implemented drastic measures that have impacted immunization efforts, including cutting US support for global vaccine programs. His skepticism towards vaccines and promotion of unproven treatments has drawn criticism from health officials.
The former CDC directors warned that Kennedy’s policies could jeopardize children’s health and potentially trigger another pandemic if not addressed promptly. They emphasized that the situation should be a concern for all Americans, regardless of their political affiliations.
Moreover, Kennedy was accused of backing legislation that could result in Americans losing their health insurance under Medicare.
In a separate opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, Kennedy blamed the CDC’s “dysfunction” for flawed policies during the Covid pandemic, leading to a high number of deaths in the US compared to global averages. He pointed to rising chronic diseases and declining life expectancy as further failures of the organization.
While some health officials criticized Kennedy’s response to a measles outbreak in Texas, he defended his actions by highlighting the CDC’s swift containment of the situation through strategic vaccine distribution.
The letter from the former CDC leaders is the latest criticism of Kennedy’s leadership, as HHS downsized staff and cut funding for critical research programs. A previous incident involving a gunman at CDC headquarters prompted over 700 current and former HHS employees to express concerns about public health under Kennedy’s direction.
The abrupt removal of Dr Susan Monarez, who was set to lead the CDC, was seen as a significant setback by the former directors. They claimed that Monarez was dismissed for refusing to comply with vaccine policies and resisting orders to terminate senior staff.
In a controversial move, Kennedy revoked $500 million in grants and contracts related to mRNA vaccine research. His past involvement with an anti-vaccine group and dissemination of debunked vaccine-related claims have further fueled the backlash against his leadership. — BBC
