Former CDC bosses accuse RFK Jr. of endangering America’s health

In a harsh rebuke of public health policies enacted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nine former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accuse him of putting America’s health at risk.

Former directors and acting directors of the CDC under both Republican and Democratic administrations outlined their complaints in a guest essay in The New York Times Monday.

Per the essay, “Mr. Kennedy has fired thousands of federal health workers and severely weakened programs designed to protect Americans from cancer, heart attacks, strokes, lead poisoning, injury, violence and more. Amid the largest measles outbreak in the United States in a generation, he’s focused on unproven treatments while downplaying vaccines. He canceled investments in promising medical research that will leave us ill prepared for future health emergencies. He replaced experts on federal health advisory committees with unqualified individuals who share his dangerous and unscientific views. He announced the end of U.S. support for global vaccination programs that protect millions of children and keep Americans safe, citing flawed research and making inaccurate statements. And he championed federal legislation that will cause millions of people with health insurance through Medicaid to lose their coverage. Firing Dr. (Susan) Monarez — which led to the resignations of top CDC officials — adds considerable fuel to this raging fire."

The letter was signed by Dr. William Foege, who led the agency from 1977 to 1983; Dr. William Roper (1990 to 1993), Dr. David Satcher (1993 to 1998); Dr. Jeffrey Koplan (1998 to 2002); Dr. Richard Besser (acting director in 2009); Dr. Tom Frieden (2009 to 2017); Dr. Anne Schuchat (acting director in 2017-2018); Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky (2021-2023) and Dr. Mandy K. Cohen (2023-2025). They said they collectively spent more than 100 years working at the CDC.

Among other complaints, the nine wrote that access to health care will be harder to obtain for those in rural communities or who have disabilities, as well as families with low income.

“This is unacceptable and it should alarm every American, regardless of political leanings,” they wrote.

While noting they each at times disagreed with the president and others they served, they wrote that “they never gave us reason to doubt that they would rely on data-driven insights for our protection or that they would support public health workers.” And they heralded the creation of the COVID-19 vaccines created during President Trump’s first administration under what was called “Operation Warp Speed” as a “shining example of what Health and Human Services can accomplish when health and science are at the forefront of its mission.”

Those very vaccines are now at the heart of controversy nationally.

Kennedy’s vaccine skepticism and moves to restrict who gets COVID-19 vaccines has created a great deal of tension between the CDC, physician groups and the administration, as Deseret News has reported. That tension only increased when he fired Monarez last week, reportedly because she refused to agree with his vaccine recommendations and declined to fire key staff members. Four other CDC top officials resigned when it was announced that Monarez was fired.

The nine former CDC heads also wrote that average life expectancy has increased from 66 in 1946 when the CDC was established to its current 78 years, crediting public health gains with making the most difference, from reducing smoking to increasing access to vaccinations.

In closing, the letter asks Americans to rally to protect public health. It asks Congress to “exercise its oversight authority over Health and Human Services.” Philanthropists and the private sector are asked to contribute more to their communities, state and local governments to fill funding gaps. And physicians are told to support patients ”with sound guidance and empathy."

Vaccine panel agenda

Kennedy fired the entire CDC vaccine advisory panel earlier this year and appointed his own members, who are set to meet Sept. 18 to consider the newborn hepatitis B vaccine, infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) recommendations and the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and young adults, as well as the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella shot.

CBS News reported that “if recommendations are weakened, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Vaccines for Children could restrict coverage.” Those programs all serve low-income families.

Meanwhile, a pair of Republican senators were going back and forth about the newborn hepatitis B vaccine on X.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., have different views on giving babies vaccines to prevent hepatitis B. As Newsweek noted, Paul said there’s “no medical reason” to do so if the mother does not have hepatitis B. Cassidy disagreed, and noted higher risk that a baby with hepatitis B will later develop liver cancer and spread the illness to others. Cassidy also said not all women are tested prior to giving birth and that being tested in the first trimester doesn’t guarantee a woman won’t have acquired the virus by the time the baby is born.

The two senators, both physicians, serve on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, which Cassidy chairs, but have very different views on vaccination. Cassidy recently said the Sept. 18 vaccine panel meeting should be postponed or the new recommendations that don’t support vaccination for healthy children and pregnant women should be set aside. The new recommendation under Kennedy is that the COVID-19 vaccine be for those 65 and older and people with specific conditions. Others can get the vaccine “in consultation” with their doctor.

What will acting CDC director do?

CBS News reported that Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary of HHS, is now acting director of the CDC and in that role will face some tough decisions on vaccine policy. The article notes that he is not a physician or a scientist — the two occupations that typically lead the nation’s top public health agency. He will continue in a dual role, per the article.

O’Neill has previously described himself as “very strongly pro-vaccine,” but the article notes recent social media posts that create “new concerns about his grasp of vaccine science.”

No one seems sure what will happen with vaccines or how available they will be or whether the school immunization schedule will ultimately change.