Nine former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have raised serious concerns about the leadership of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asserting that his actions are jeopardizing the health of Americans. The group, which includes seven former directors and two former acting directors from administrations dating back to former President Jimmy Carter, published an op-ed in The New York Times on March 25, 2024, shortly after the controversial dismissal of the CDC’s new director, Dr. Susan Monarez.
In the op-ed, the directors expressed alarm over a series of actions taken by Kennedy that they believe could have a “wide-ranging impact” on the nation’s health security. Reports indicate that Kennedy, along with his principal deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, pressured Monarez to endorse changes to COVID-19 vaccine policies and to dismiss several high-ranking staff members, a move she ultimately declined.
Dr. Richard Besser, who served as acting director of the CDC during the Obama administration and is currently president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, voiced his shock at the current state of affairs. He remarked, “What we are seeing taking place in the Department of Health and Human Services, and at CDC in particular, is not business as usual.” He emphasized that while transitions in policy are common with new administrations, the approach of Secretary Kennedy represents a significant departure.
Kennedy’s tenure has been marked by contentious decisions, including the termination of thousands of federal health workers and the promotion of unproven treatments as measles outbreaks surged in the United States. Furthermore, he has canceled $500 million in federally funded mRNA vaccine research, prompting additional concern.
The former directors also highlighted Kennedy’s replacement of all 17 members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee with individuals who are perceived to have vaccine-skeptic views. Besser stated that the recent ousting of Monarez, coupled with the resignation of at least four senior leaders, compels them to speak out. He warned that these departures leave the United States vulnerable to routine health challenges and potential public health threats.
“We can’t predict when the next pandemic will be here, but we know there will be future pandemics,” Besser said. “With this Secretary performing in the way that he is, it puts us all at risk.”
The op-ed urges Congress to exercise its oversight authority over HHS, a sentiment echoed by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), who has called for Senate committee involvement in light of the departures at the CDC. The former directors also suggested that state and local governments should seek to fill funding gaps left by Kennedy’s policies.
“We represent individuals who served in every administration from Jimmy Carter through Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats alike, and we are unified in our feeling that what we’re seeing is extremely alarming,” Besser noted. “Our federal public health system is in major jeopardy. The CDC, which had been regarded as the world’s leading public health institution, is on life support and needs immediate attention.”
As the situation unfolds, the former directors are hopeful that their voices will contribute to a broader call for accountability and oversight, urging that the federal government must act to safeguard the health of the nation.
