Hearings to examine reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implications for children's health.

2025-09-17

Summary

The hearing convened to investigate the abrupt dismissal of former CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez and the resignation of former Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry, focusing on allegations of political interference in scientific decision-making at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding vaccine policies and public health guidance [ 00:24:54 ]

[ 00:28:33 ] [ 00:31:46 ] . Witnesses provided testimony regarding their experiences with Secretary Kennedy and the implications for the CDC's credibility and its ability to protect American public health [ 00:29:12 ] .

Themes

Dismissal of CDC Leadership

Dr. Susan Monarez, the first Senate-confirmed CDC director, testified that she was fired after 29 days for refusing two demands from Secretary Kennedy . She stated that the Secretary directed her to pre-approve all forthcoming recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regardless of scientific evidence, and to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy without cause . Dr. Monarez claimed she would not compromise her integrity by replacing evidence with ideology and thus refused to comply, leading to her dismissal . Dr. Debra Houry resigned because she felt CDC leaders were being reduced to "rubber stamps," supporting policies not based in science and endangering American lives . She also noted that political appointees had been instructed to only work with other political appointees and not with career scientists .

Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policy

A central theme was the alleged undermining of scientific integrity by political directives within the CDC . Dr. Monarez asserted that Secretary Kennedy stated there was "no science or evidence" associated with the childhood vaccine schedule and that she still needed to be "on board with it" . Both Dr. Monarez and Dr. Houry emphasized their commitment to evidence-based decision-making and expressed concerns that political staff were influencing the agenda of scientific meetings . Senator Rand Paul questioned the scientific basis for current COVID-19 and Hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for children, citing a lack of statistical significance for certain age groups regarding hospitalization and death . Senator Bernie Sanders and other members highlighted the broad scientific consensus on vaccine safety and effectiveness, contrasting it with Secretary Kennedy's stance .

Changes to ACIP and Vaccine Schedule

Concerns were raised about the replacement of all 17 voting members of the ACIP by Secretary Kennedy and the potential for politically motivated changes to vaccine recommendations [ 00:33:01 ]

. Dr. Monarez stated she was directed to pre-approve ACIP recommendations without scientific review, which she refused [ 01:10:11 ] . Dr. Houry mentioned that flu campaigns were halted despite high pediatric flu deaths and that global flu and COVID sample submissions had significantly dropped, reducing visibility into pathogens . Specific attention was given to the Hepatitis B birth dose vaccine, with Senator Paul noting the Secretary's alleged desire to move away from it, and others stressing its critical role in reducing infant infections [ 00:54:55 ] [ 02:27:42 ] .

Impact on Public Trust and Pandemic Preparedness

Speakers repeatedly stressed the erosion of public trust in the CDC and its dire consequences for public health and future pandemic preparedness [ 02:16:39 ]

. Dr. Monarez and Dr. Houry warned that weakened vaccine protections could lead to the return of preventable diseases and harm children . They also expressed worry that the CDC was becoming less prepared for future pandemics due to staff cuts and reduced global pathogen visibility [ 02:16:27 ] . Concerns were raised about threats and fear of violence against CDC personnel, leading some scientists to avoid public presentations on vaccines .

Secretary Kennedy's Conduct and Allegations

Dr. Monarez detailed Secretary Kennedy's "animated" and "upset" demeanor, and his disparaging remarks about CDC employees, calling them "horrible people" who were "killing children" and "bought by the pharmaceutical industry" . She stated he also accused the CDC of instructing hospitals to turn away sick COVID patients . Dr. Houry mentioned that the Secretary spread misinformation and promoted unproven treatments, and changed CDC COVID vaccine guidance via social media without scientific justification [ 01:07:34 ]

. Senator Kaine questioned the Secretary's "radical transparency" claim given his alleged instruction to Dr. Monarez not to speak directly with senators .

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was notably tense and confrontational, particularly during direct exchanges with the witnesses . Accusations of dishonesty and political motivation were leveled, with one Senator questioning Dr. Monarez's "honesty issue" and truthfulness . However, there was also strong support and empathy for the witnesses, particularly from Democratic senators, who praised their courage, integrity, and commitment to science in the face of pressure [ 01:18:45 ]

[ 02:25:16 ] . Concerns about the politicization of science and its impact on public health were voiced with significant gravitas across the aisle, underscoring the perceived high stakes of the discussion [ 00:28:40 ] [ 01:15:04 ] . The discussion frequently highlighted a divide between those prioritizing adherence to scientific evidence and those questioning current vaccine recommendations and CDC practices [ 01:26:37 ] .