Nine former CDC leaders warn of ‘raging fire’ ignited by RFK
Nine former “directors or acting directors” of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have published an open letter in the New York Times, admonishing the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who the authors said has weakened critical programs and put the lives of all Americans in danger.
Specifically, the former CDC bosses said cuts to critical programs that protected Americans from “cancer, heart attacks, strokes, lead poisoning, injury, violence and more”—along with Kennedy’s efforts to erode public vaccination programs—pose an unprecedented threat to public health that should frighten everyone, regardless of political allegiance.
The authors emphasized that their tenure at the CDC extends back as far as 1977, giving the nine more than 100 years of experience working for the agency at various times, under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Given that mass layoffs of staff, rapid defunding of critical programs and changes in vaccine policy have occurred in only seven months' time, the letter refers to Kennedy’s tenure as “unlike anything our country had ever experienced.” And that isn’t meant as a compliment.
The former CDC leaders accused Kennedy of silencing critics, specifically after the recent dismissal of CDC Director Susan Monarez, PhD, who was reportedly forced out after refusing to follow Kennedy’s orders to fire staff considered disloyal to President Donald Trump’s administration.
“When Mr. Kennedy administered the oath of office to Dr. Monarez on July 31, he called her ‘a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials.’ But when she refused weeks later to rubber-stamp his dangerous and unfounded vaccine recommendations or heed his demand to fire senior C.D.C. staff members, he decided she was expendable,” the authors wrote, noting that her dismissal caused multiple top CDC officials to resign, further diminishing the agency’s ability to effectuate its core responsibilities.
“Firing Dr. Monarez—which led to the resignations of top CDC officials—adds considerable fuel to this raging fire,” the authors added.
They called upon Congress to take action and rein in Kennedy. Additionally, the former CDC heads asked medical groups and doctors to “stand up for science and truth” and do well by patients.
The full text of the letter is available at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.