In a powerful condemnation, nine former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued an open letter accusing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of jeopardizing the health of all Americans through his radical policies, which include restricting vaccines and firing key health officials.
The letter, published in the New York Times, is signed by former CDC leaders whose tenures span several decades and administrations. They describe the past seven months under Kennedy’s leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services as unlike anything the country has experienced, warning that his actions could reverse decades of public health advancements and increase the risk of disease outbreaks.
Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic, has implemented policies that severely limit access to immunizations, including terminating U.S. involvement in global vaccine initiatives. He has also promoted alternative, unverified treatments over scientifically backed vaccines, a move that has drawn ire from health experts who fear it could lead to resurgences of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough.
Furthermore, Kennedy has overseen the firing of thousands of healthcare workers and cut significant funding from research programs, particularly those focused on infectious diseases and mRNA technology. In August, he stripped $500 million in grants for vaccine development, actions that the former directors say could hamper the nation’s ability to respond to future health crises.
The removal of Dr. Susan Monarez as CDC director last week is highlighted as a critical point of contention. Monarez, who was recently appointed, was fired after refusing to endorse Kennedy’s vaccine policies or carry out orders to dismiss senior staff, according to the letter. This led to a wave of resignations and further destabilized the agency.
In his defense, Kennedy argued in The Wall Street Journal that the CDC had become dysfunctional and lost public trust due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and politicized science, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He cited the rapid containment of a measles outbreak in Texas as evidence of improved efficiency under his watch, though critics question his handling of the situation.
This open letter follows earlier criticisms, including an August letter from over 700 current and former HHS employees who accused Kennedy of endangering public health after a gunman attacked the CDC headquarters. The cumulative effect of these events has created an atmosphere of crisis within America’s health agencies.
The former CDC directors conclude by urging all Americans to recognize the severity of the situation and demand accountability to safeguard the nation’s health from what they see as an unprecedented threat.
