Susan Monarez, ex-CDC head, asserts RFK Jr forced her dismissal due to disagreements on vaccine research
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, has found himself at the centre of a storm after the dismissal of Susan Monarez, the former head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monarez was ousted from her position at the CDC after just 29 days, less than a month after she had taken office, following a disagreement over vaccine policies.
In a hearing before US senators, Monarez accused Kennedy of giving her an ultimatum to either preapprove new vaccine recommendations from an advisory CDC panel or be fired. Kennedy, however, has denied these accusations.
According to Monarez, Kennedy demanded her to fire high-ranking, career CDC officials without cause. The advisory CDC panel, which is expected to vote on new vaccine recommendations later this week, includes some medical experts who doubt vaccine safety. Monarez accused Kennedy of firing her after she refused to endorse forthcoming vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence.
Kennedy has acknowledged during the Senate hearing that he ordered Monarez to fire several top officials at the CDC. However, he has denied Monarez's accusations that he ordered "rubber-stamped" vaccine recommendations. Kennedy has described Monarez as admitting to him that she is "untrustworthy," a claim Monarez has denied through her attorney.
The dismissal of Monarez has raised concerns among some senators about Kennedy's influence on vaccine policies. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy expressed scepticism over the explanations Kennedy has given for Monarez's firing. The Senate hearing is focused on the impact the turmoil at the US's leading public health agency, which is responsible for making vaccine recommendations to the public, will have on children's health.
The advisory CDC panel is expected to vote on new vaccine recommendations later this week, including shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B, and chickenpox. The Senate hearing comes at a critical time as the CDC is facing unprecedented challenges in managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring the safety of vaccines for the public.
Monarez was praised by senators during her confirmation hearing, with Kennedy himself praising her "unimpeachable scientific credentials". Her sudden dismissal has left many questioning the integrity of the US's vaccine policies and the role of the health secretary in shaping them.
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