The ousted director of the Facilities for Illness Management testified Wednesday that Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired her as a result of she refused to again his push to implement new restrictions on life-saving vaccines.
Susan Monarez, who was appointed by President Trump, advised the Senate well being committee that RFK Jr. fired her after she wouldn’t commit prematurely to supporting the suggestions of his handpicked panel stacked with vaccine skeptics.
“I was fired for holding the line on scientific integrity,” Monarez stated.
Monarez accused Kennedy of being on a mission to roll again many years of medical miracles which have all however eradicated once-deadly illnesses like measles and whooping cough from American life.
“The question before us is whether we will keep faith with our children and grandchildren ensuring they remain safe from the diseases we fought so hard to defeat,” Monarez stated. “Undoing that progress would … betray every family that trusts us to protect their health.”
Former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry, who give up in protest of Kennedy’s anti-vaxx push, additionally stated she fears Kennedy will undermine the nation’s potential to struggle preventable illnesses and pandemics.
She and Monarez heaped reward on Trump for engineering the hassle to quick observe growth of the vaccines that docs credit score with ending the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
“Operation Warp Speed saved millions of lives and was absolutely a godsend for our country,” Houry stated.
The 2 preeminent public well being officers made the joint look as Kennedy continues to sow chaos on the businesses tasked with defending the nation’s well being.
Kennedy, who had been one of many nation’s most outstanding vaccine skeptics for years, promised lawmakers at a Senate affirmation listening to that he wouldn’t make main modifications in vaccine coverage.
However inside a matter of weeks, he fired all of the members of a vital advisory panel and changed them with outstanding vaccine skeptics.
The panel is predicted to fulfill this week to debate attainable new suggestions for pictures in opposition to COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox, elevating the stakes for peculiar Individuals who may see new restrictions on vaccines or modifications in insurance coverage protection.
Monarez additionally plans to say that Kennedy directed her to oust plenty of high-ranking CDC officers with out trigger, which she says she refused to do.
Kennedy has denied Monarez’s accusations that he ordered “rubber-stamped” vaccine suggestions.
He says Monarez admitted she was “untrustworthy,” a declare Monarez has denied. He acknowledged throughout a testy Senate listening to earlier this month that he ordered Monarez to fireside a number of prime officers on the CDC.
Initially Printed: September 17, 2025 at 12:27 PM EDT
