Health Secretary RFK Jr. Refocuses CDC on Infectious Diseases After Director Ouster

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has initiated significant changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aiming to refocus the agency on its core mission of tracking infectious diseases and pandemic response, as outlined in his recent Wall Street Journal op-ed. Kennedy's leadership shake-up included firing CDC director Susan Monarez, which has sparked controversy and a wave of resignations from key agency leaders. Nine former CDC directors publicly criticized Kennedy's actions, expressing concern that his reforms and workforce reductions threaten public health and endanger Americans by weakening vital programs beyond infectious disease control. Despite these criticisms, Kennedy and supporters argue that the CDC had lost its way due to politicization and mission creep, contributing to poor pandemic responses and declining public trust. The agency currently allocates only half its budget to infectious disease, with fewer than 10% of employees being epidemiologists, which Kennedy seeks to correct. The debate highlights a sharp division over the CDC’s future direction under the current administration.