Summary
Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified before a Senate committee, explaining that she was fired for not complying with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s directives on vaccine recommendations and personnel changes at the CDC. She emphasized that vaccine policy should be based on evidence and science, and described her disagreements with Kennedy.
Key Facts
- Susan Monarez, the former CDC director, testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- She claimed she was fired for not following Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s orders to pre-approve vaccine recommendations and fire CDC career scientists.
- Monarez said she believed vaccine policies should follow scientific evidence, not ideology.
- Secretary Kennedy had previously publicly criticized Monarez, calling her untrustworthy.
- Monarez described disagreements with Kennedy over changes to a CDC committee responsible for vaccine recommendations.
- CDC's former chief medical officer, Dr. Deb Houry, resigned alongside other top officials in protest of CDC changes.
- Kennedy fired the CDC's 17-member Advisory Panel on Immunization Practices in June and appointed new members, some of whom are known for their vaccine criticism.
- Monarez detailed a contentious meeting with Kennedy on August 25, where he allegedly pressured her to resign if she did not comply with his demands.
