Two former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials told the senators that the agency is politicized today, with the career scientist being the director of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
in Hearing Before the Senate Aid (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee, former CDC Director Dr. Susan Monares and former Chief Medical Officer Debra Hour, MD, MPH testified that the agency was "reduced to rubber stamps" under Kennedy. They also described the atmosphere in which political appointees play an important role in institutional decisions.
Without consulting with Kennedy's CDC scientists, Monales and An Hour cited Kennedy's unilateral changes to vaccine recommendations, alternatives to vaccine critics on the vaccine expert advisory board, and promotion of proven treatments for measles as examples of how Kennedy would undermine public health.
"Because of the secretary's actions, our country is on track to see a dramatic increase in preventable diseases and declining health," Houry said.
Among the hearing revelations, a planned plan to change the childhood vaccine was already in place ahead of the CDC Advisory Committee (ACIP) meeting tomorrow on vaccination practices.
The hearing was the first public release by Monares since he was fired by President Trump on August 27th, less than a month after being confirmed as CDC director. Her firing came after a series of meetings on August 25th. There, Monares allegedly fired the CDC's top official and refused to agree to Kennedy's request to pre-approve ACIP recommendations ahead of the group's upcoming meetings. After Monarez was fired, Houry and two other senior officials later resigned from the CDC.
Monares' testimony directly rebutted a statement made by Kennedy two weeks ago At his hearing In front of the Senate Finance Committee. At that hearing, Kennedy refused to ask Monares to step down for refusing to agree to his request. He said Monares. Wall Street Journal Onedthat he fired her because he was lying and she couldn't trust her.
However, Monares said through her opening statement and hearing that Kennedy's comments did not reflect what actually happened. At its first meeting on August 25th, Monares said that Kennedy "instructed him to commit in advance to approve all ACIP recommendations, regardless of scientific evidence. He also directed him to dismiss career staff who are responsible for vaccine policy without any reason."
Monales said that if Kennedy didn't want to do both to her, she should resign.
"I replied that I couldn't approve the recommendations in advance without reviewing the evidence, and I had no basis for firing the science expert," Monales said. "Even under pressure, I couldn't replace evidence with ideology or compromise my integrity."
Monares, who described the meeting as nervous and extremely upsetting Kennedy, said he thinks that is why she was fired. "I was fired for keeping a line on scientific integrity," she said.
Monares also said Kennedy made several claims about the CDC at the meeting. The corruption of the CDC, and the CDC officials "don't mind killing children," are that agents have put people on masks and social distancing like dictatorship.
The August 25th meeting took place less than a month after Monares was confirmed as CDC director, less than three weeks after the gunman fired at CDC headquarters in Atlanta to kill a police officer. During that period, Monares said he only had two meetings with Kennedy.
Monarez said in response to a question from Senate Help Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Kennedy said on August 25 that he had spoken with President Trump about the issue, with the childhood vaccine schedule being changed in September. For a long time, Kennedy has been critical of his childhood vaccine schedule.
"If the evidence and science were supportive, I was suggesting to be open to changing the vaccine schedule for my childhood," Monales said. "He responded that there was no science or evidence related to the childhood vaccine schedule."
The newly restructured ACIP, which includes 12 members hand-picked by Kennedy, is remarkable for its revelation. I'll see you tomorrow We will discuss and vote on recommendations for the two currently recommended vaccines for children: the Hepatitis B vaccine and the measles, mumps, rubella, and water cell (MMRV) vaccines. After reviewing the underlying data, CDC has traditionally adopted ACIP recommendations.
I was fired for keeping a line on scientific integrity.
HOWY said the HHS political appointees have shown her that ACIP plans to move away from recommendations that hepatitis B vaccines at birth, and that data presented by carrier CDC scientists may be biased towards ACIP members, who are ACIP members.
When asked by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) if he was certain his parents were reliable in the recommendations made at the upcoming ACIP meeting, Monarez said he was "very nervous." Houry also said there were concerns, citing limited public information and the fact that meeting data has not yet been posted.
When asked by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) what her concerns are when public belief in childhood vaccines is undermined, Monares said she believes she believes preventable illnesses such as polio, measles, diphtheria and hooping cough will return.
"We believe that our children will harm those they don't need to hurt," she said.
Another problem that came up was Kennedy's. announcement In May, X's post said that Covid-19 vaccine was no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. Houry said data for that decision has not been provided to CDC scientists.
"After the tweet was announced, we were unable to implement guidance based on the tweet, so we asked for a written note from HHS," Houry said. "We asked for data to back it up, but we haven't received any data so far."
Houry also suggested in her opening comments that the nation is not well prepared for the threat of infectious diseases and bioterol under Kennedy. She said global flu and Covid-19 samples have fallen by 60% and 70% respectively, with "a much less visibility into what's coming."
Like his recent appearance before Kennedy's confirmation hearing and the Senate Finance Committee, Monales and the hour-long question broke along the party's line. Although the Democrat senators were supportive, members of the GOP committee expressed skepticism about Monares' explanation of the conversation with Kennedy and criticised the hiring of two anti-Trump lawyers. Some suggested that her layoffs were linked to CDC's vaccine recommendations and suggested she was not in line with Kennedy and President Trump's priorities.
In particular, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) argued that the Covid-19 vaccine should not be recommended for children as it has not reduced infection, hospitalization or death in children and is associated with an increased risk of myocarditis in young men. He also argued that not all babies need to be vaccinated against hepatitis B.
"What is the medical reason why moms give the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns who do not have hepatitis?" asked Paul.
Similarly, Sen. Roger Marshall, Maryland (R-KS), said the issue was Monales' defense against an agency pushing for vaccines that people don't need.
"Your attitude that everyone needs all vaccines is completely contrary to Secretary Kennedy's philosophy," Marshall said.
However, Cassidy, a former doctor and liver specialist who voted to confirm Kennedy, ended his hearing in 1991 with a fierce defense of the hepatitis B vaccine, which was approved for use in newborns.