Nine Former CDC Directors Criticize RFK Jr. Leadership Amid Agency Turmoil

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership has sparked intense controversy and upheaval within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nine former CDC directors criticized Kennedy in The New York Times for undermining scientific expertise, promoting unproven treatments, downplaying vaccines, and replacing qualified advisory committee members with individuals sharing his views. Kennedy's firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, who refused to endorse questionable COVID-19 vaccine policies, led to multiple resignations among top CDC officials and staff protests, highlighting internal dissent. Critics accuse Kennedy of reversing progress in vaccination programs and compromising the agency’s integrity, while supporters argue he is reforming an institution that lost public trust by imposing strict COVID-19 measures and disregarding alternative viewpoints. This conflict reflects broader political tensions, with Kennedy’s rise linked to a coalition of vaccine skeptics and anti-establishment voters, impacting U.S. public health policy and vaccine research funding.