Actions taken by Robert F Kennedy Jr under the Trump administration have greatly diminished the ability of the US to respond to outbreaks and infectious disease threats, according to recently ousted officials with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The two former top officials testified at a hearing on Wednesday before the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) committee.
Susan Monarez, the CDC director chosen by Kennedy, was fired after less than a month. Debra Houry, chief medical officer at the CDC, resigned after serving under six CDC directors during both Republican and Democratic administrations.
On the morning of 25 August, Kennedy demanded that Monarez “commit in advance to approving every ACIP recommendation, regardless of the scientific evidence”, she testified. He also directed her to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy without cause, she said.
“He said if I was unwilling to do both, I should resign. I responded that I could not pre-approve recommendations without reviewing the evidence, and I had no basis to fire scientific experts,” Monarez believes that’s the true reason she was fired, she said.
The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, ACIP, which has been replaced with Kennedy’s handpicked advisers, will meet on Thursday and Friday.
“Based on what I observed during my tenure, there is a real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need, without rigorous scientific review. With no permanent CDC director in place, those recommendations could be adopted,” Monarez said.
“The stakes are not theoretical. We already have seen the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children. If vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return.”
Also on 25 August, Monarez said Kennedy told her “the childhood vaccine schedule would be changing starting in September, and I needed to be on board with it”. She said Kennedy had the support of the Trump White House, with Kennedy claiming to her that “he spoke to the President every day about changing the childhood vaccine schedule”.
Debra Houry also testified to seeing political interference.
“I resigned because CDC leaders were reduced to rubber stamps, supporting policies not based in science, and putting American lives at risk. Secretary Kennedy censored CDC science, politicized its processes and stripped leaders of independence,” Houry said.
