Fired CDC director warns of backslide in US vaccine science under RFK Jr

Washington, DC – The former director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has testified before a Senate committee that she was fired for not agreeing to categorically greenlight all recommendations from a vaccine advisory committee or fire career vaccine scientists at the agency.

The testimony from Susan Monarez before the Senate health committee comes just weeks after she was fired by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr in August, following just a 29-day tenure.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 3Trump administration takes control of Washington’s Union Station train hub
• list 2 of 3US health workers implore RFK Jr to ‘stop spreading inaccurate’ information
• list 3 of 3How RFK Jr’s vaccine funding cuts fit with Trump’s vision

It also comes as concerns continue to grow over the stewardship of Kennedy, who has spearheaded the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement that critics say has forefronted vaccine scepticism and misinformation.

Speaking to lawmakers, Monarez recounted being directed by Kennedy “to commit in advance, to approving every ACIP recommendation, regardless of the scientific evidence”, referring to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

“He also directed me to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy without cause,” she said. “I responded that I could not pre-approve recommendations without reviewing evidence, and I had no basis to fire scientific experts.”

Monarez recounted that Kennedy said she should resign if she could not follow the orders, adding he had spoken with the White House several times on the matter. Monarez said he could fire her if “he believed he could not trust me”. Days later, he did so.

Throughout her testimony, Monarez framed her firing as part of a wider roll-back of scientific rigour under Kennedy’s leadership at the CDC, which is tasked with setting vaccine recommendations and assuring safety. Typically, the CDC director independently approves all recommendations made by the panel.

Kennedy had gutted all 17 members of the ACIP in June, saying the panel was “plagued with persistent conflicts of interest”, without offering further evidence. He has been gradually replacing the panel with new members, including several individuals who have previously made unfounded claims related to vaccines.

Speaking to the same Senate committee earlier this month, Kennedy defended his leadership of the HHS and his personnel changes, calling Monarez “untrustworthy” and claiming she had lied.

“These changes were absolutely necessary adjustments to restore the agency to its role as the world’s gold standard public health agency,” he said.

The ACIP panel is set to meet later this week to discuss a range of vaccines, including those for COVID, hepatitis B, and measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV), and when they should be administered to children.

Monarez told lawmakers the stakes of Kennedy’s changes were not “theoretical”.

“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,” she said.

“With no permanent CDC director in place, those recommendations could be adopted,” she said.

‘Refused to act as a rubber stamp’

The fact that Monarez was called to testify at all by the Republican-controlled committee underscored bipartisan disquiet over Kennedy’s public comments and leadership of the HHS.

The Republican chair of the committee, Bill Cassidy, who is a physician and has been critical of Kennedy’s views, opened the hearing praising Monarez and raising questions over the justifications for her firing.

He noted the firing was particularly unusual because Monarez was the first CDC director who required Senate confirmation, per a law passed in 2023, and had just months ago testified before the chamber after being nominated for the role by Trump. She was subsequently approved by a 51-47 vote along party lines.

He pointed to Kennedy himself previously touting Monarez’s “unimpeachable scientific credentials” and President Donald Trump calling her an “incredible mother and dedicated public servant”.

“Like what happened? Did we fail? Was there something we should have done differently?” he said.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, was less circumspect.

“I think the answer is fairly obvious,” Sanders said.

“Dr Monarez was fired because she refused to act as a rubber stamp to implement Secretary Kennedy’s dangerous agenda to substantially limit the use of safe and effective vaccines that would endanger the lives of American people and people throughout the world.”

Monarez testified alongside former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who resigned in protest following her firing. Both said they had to respond to misinformation spread by Kennedy, including, as Houry testified, a claim in April that the MMRV vaccine “had fetal parts”.

Monarez said Kennedy directly told her that “CDC employees were killing children and they don’t care.”

Some Republicans used the exchange to draw questions over current vaccine schedules for children, or accused Monarez of not adhering to Kennedy’s MAHA mission.

In one exchange, Senator Rand Paul, an ophthalmologist, grilled Maneras on the scientific data behind certain vaccines, particularly the COVID vaccine and the Hepatitis B vaccines for newborns.

“We need to restore trust in public health. In order to do so, we have to have a discussion about the actual science,” Paul said.

Monarez said she agreed.

“I have to agree with you, and I was open to the science. I just would not pre-commit to approving all the ACIP recommendations without the science,” she said.