Former CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was fired from her position in late August after less than a month on the job, told a Senate committee Wednesday morning that she was let go after refusing to go along with two directives from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that she did not agree with.
Those were to approve new recommendations on COVID-19 vaccines from a newly reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices panel whose members — some of whom have expressed anti-vaccine views — were vetted by the secretary as well as fire career vaccine scientists.
During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Monarez said that RFK. Jr told her to approve the ACIP’s new COVID shot recommendations as well as get rid of some vaccine scientists. She refused to do both saying that she is obligated to apply scientific standards to crucial decisions, there was no basis to fire the scientists, and doing what RFK Jr. asked would be a betrayal of what she promised the same committee in terms of transparency and working with the government during her confirmation hearing in July.
RFK Jr. “directed me to commit in advance to approve every ACIP recommendation regardless of the scientific evidence….He also directed me to dismiss career officials in vaccine policy without cause.” She added if she was not willing to do so, RFK Jr. said she should resign.
“I was fired for not holding the line on vaccine hesitancy.”
Monarez also mentioned the upcoming Sept. 18-19 ACIP meeting where recommendations on several vaccines, including COVID, will be discussed and voted on. She expressed concern that the panel’s recommendations could become effective on their own since there is no permanent CDC director in place.
Monarez added that this could set a dangerous precedent. “If vaccine preventions are weakened, communicable diseases will return.”
She won confirmation by the Senate in the late July by a 51-47 vote along party lines and was the first CDC director to require confirmation.
Opening statements from Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) both cited contradictions from RFK Jr. after Monarez was confirmed and during her swearing-in ceremony. During a Sept. 4 hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, RFK. Jr called Monarez a “liar” who is “untrustworthy.”
However, both senators pointed out that at her July 31 swearing-in, RFK Jr. said, “Dr. Monarez is a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials. I have full confidence in her ability to restore the CDC’s role as the most trusted authority in public health and to strengthen our nation’s readiness to confront infectious diseases and biosecurity threats.”
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