CDC Director Testifies HHS secretary Sought to Interfere with Vaccine Recommendations
A pivotal meeting of teh Centers for Disease Control and prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is underway, focused on childhood vaccine guidance, as concerns mount over potential political interference in public health decisions. Former CDC Director Susan monarez testified on September 17, 2025, that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requested she take actions that compromised the agency’s scientific integrity.
Monarez stated that on August 25, 2025, Kennedy asked her to commit to firing CDC scientists and to pre-approve vaccine recommendations from ACIP, irrespective of supporting scientific evidence. “He just wanted blanket approval,” Monarez said during her testimony.
Just 29 days after being sworn in as CDC Director on July 31, 2025, Monarez was removed from her position. She previously served as acting director and held leadership roles at ARPA-H and BARDA. Kennedy initially described Monarez, a microbiologist and immunologist, as “a public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials.”
Monarez expressed concern that weakening vaccine protections could led to a resurgence of preventable diseases, stating, ”If vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return.”
Kennedy Jr. has a long history of publicly questioning vaccine safety, including making unsubstantiated claims linking vaccine ingredients to autism. He oversees federal health and science agencies, including the CDC, which is responsible for developing vaccine recommendations.
