WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nation’s public health infrastructure is facing a moment of significant turmoil, according to former leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The current upheaval follows the ousting of CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was fired after reportedly refusing to resign amid clashes with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over a number of policies, including those related to vaccines.
The firing of Monarez has sparked a series of protests and resignations from other top officials. Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer, and Demetre Daskalakis, the former immunizations director, both resigned in protest. According to a report from The Guardian, Daskalakis warned that he “only sees harm coming” under the current leadership. Other public health experts have also joined the chorus of critics, with more than 750 current and former employees signing a letter that accuses Kennedy of being an “existential threat to public health” and “spreading inaccurate health information.”
The controversy has also caught the attention of politicians. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wrote a recent New York Times op-ed calling for Health Secretary Kennedy to resign, accusing him of “endangering the health of the American people.” The former officials’ warnings and the ongoing resignations highlight a growing concern about the politicization of public health and the potential for a diminished capacity to respond to future health crises.
