CDC director Susan Monarez ousted after vaccine policy rift with RFK Jr

WASHINGTON, DC: The Director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Susan Monarez, who was confirmed as director by the Senate on July 29, was ousted from her position following alleged run-ins with Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F Kennedy Jr, over vaccines.

Interestingly, Monarez refused to step down after RFK Jr called on her to resign or be fired. Monarez's lawyers said that as of Wednesday, August 27 evening, their client had not been notified of a termination.

CDC director Susan Monarez ousted from her post

A source informed The New York Times that Susan Monarez has clashed with RFK Jr over vaccines, which the secretary opposed.

The outlet added, "The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said Mr Kennedy summoned Dr Monarez to his office on Monday and demanded that she resign. When she refused, Mr Kennedy demanded that she remove the agency’s top leadership by the end of the week."

"Dr Monarez then called Senator Bill Cassidy, the Republican chairman of the Senate health committee, who in turn called Mr Kennedy, according to the official. Mr Kennedy, furious, summoned Dr Monarez to a second meeting on Tuesday and accused her of “being a leaker,” according to the official, and told her she would be fired," the report read.

Interestingly, following Monarez’s apparent termination, three top CDC officials submitted resignation letters. They are Dr Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr Deb Houry, chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science at CDC and Dr Dan Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

Daskalakis wrote, "I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources."

Meanwhile, Houry said in her letter, "Recently, the overstating of risks and the rise of misinformation have cost lives, as demonstrated by the highest number of US measles cases in 30 years and the violent attack on our agency."

Moreover, Jernigan wrote, "I believe strongly in the mission of public health and the leadership that CDC has given for almost 80 years; however, given the current context in the Department, I feel it is best for me to offer my resignation."

Internet slams RFK Jr

Several internet users slammed RFK Jr after Susan Monarez, who was just confirmed as director by the Senate, was ousted from her position following alleged run-ins with RFK Jr over vaccines.

A user wrote on X, "A sick population is a desperate population, and desperate people are the easiest to manipulate," while one added, "Nothing worse than having a bad manager."

A person also stated, "She probably knows more than Kennedy. Kennedy is a know nothing," whereas one mentioned, "Can only assume she’s not buying this “we found the reason for autism” BS from RFK."

A user also wrote, "0 accountability, always just firing people and replacing them with more of the problem," while one commented, "Incompetents runs the USA government SHAME."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.