The White House says it has fired the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Susan Monarez, after she refused to resign on Wednesday. In a statement, it said she was not aligned with the president's agenda and she had been removed from her position at the health agency.
The US health department earlier announced her departure, which prompted a statement from Dr. Monarez's lawyers who said she had not been told of her removal and she would not resign. They said she was being targeted for refusing to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts and accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of weaponising public health.
The White House added, As her attorney's statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the president's agenda.
Monarez was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the CDC and confirmed in July. Following her firing, at least three senior CDC leaders resigned, citing their discontent with the agency's direction under the new administration. Among them was Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who expressed concerns about misinformation surrounding vaccines and budget cuts to the agency.
Kennedy, who has historically been skeptical of vaccines, has presided over significant changes at the CDC during a time when many health experts are worried about the implications this has for public health.
In a related development, the FDA approved new Covid vaccines, narrowing the eligibility to seniors and excluding younger adults and children without underlying health conditions. Monarez's tenure was notably marked by efforts to address the aftermath of a shooting incident at CDC headquarters, reflecting the challenges the agency faced in navigating both health directives and public perceptions.
Despite personnel changes, concerns remain high over ongoing public health strategies as the political landscape rapidly evolves.
The US health department earlier announced her departure, which prompted a statement from Dr. Monarez's lawyers who said she had not been told of her removal and she would not resign. They said she was being targeted for refusing to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts and accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of weaponising public health.
The White House added, As her attorney's statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the president's agenda.
Monarez was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the CDC and confirmed in July. Following her firing, at least three senior CDC leaders resigned, citing their discontent with the agency's direction under the new administration. Among them was Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who expressed concerns about misinformation surrounding vaccines and budget cuts to the agency.
Kennedy, who has historically been skeptical of vaccines, has presided over significant changes at the CDC during a time when many health experts are worried about the implications this has for public health.
In a related development, the FDA approved new Covid vaccines, narrowing the eligibility to seniors and excluding younger adults and children without underlying health conditions. Monarez's tenure was notably marked by efforts to address the aftermath of a shooting incident at CDC headquarters, reflecting the challenges the agency faced in navigating both health directives and public perceptions.
Despite personnel changes, concerns remain high over ongoing public health strategies as the political landscape rapidly evolves.
