Former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry testified before a Senate committee, describing a 'hostile takeover' of the agency under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing political interference and a disregard for scientific evidence.
October 4, 2025
Source:
NBC News
Testimony Details Political Interference
A former top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has described a "hostile takeover" of the agency by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This testimony came during a tense Senate committee hearing.
Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC's former chief medical officer, detailed her eight months serving under Kennedy, alleging a pattern of political interference that undermined the nation's public health safeguards.
Leadership in Turmoil
Houry was not alone. Former CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was fired, also testified. Both asserted they were pressured to support decisions that were not grounded in scientific evidence. Monarez told the committee she was terminated for her refusal to compromise on this principle.
"I was fired because I refused to compromise my scientific integrity," Monarez stated in her testimony, an account detailed in reports from CIDRAP. Following Monarez's ouster, Houry and other senior officials resigned in protest, signaling a deepening crisis within the agency.
Keep up with the story. Subscribe to the PR+ free daily newsletter
Source:
The Guardian
Scientific Process Sidelined
The core of the testimony focused on a disregard for the established scientific process at the CDC, particularly concerning vaccine policy.
Changes to Vaccine Policy
Officials reported that the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the independent body responsible for vaccine recommendations, was pressured to alter the childhood vaccine schedule. These changes were allegedly pushed through without a thorough scientific review.
Scientific advisory boards were reportedly replaced with vaccine critics.
Kennedy insisted on pre-approving vaccine recommendations without scientific evaluation.
Decisions were made using cherry-picked data, not comprehensive analysis.
An Agency Divided
The leadership changes have created what Houry described as a divided and demoralized agency. According to reporting from STAT News, long-serving career staff feel marginalized by a small group of Kennedy allies who now control policy and communications. This internal strife is compounded by external threats, damaging the agency's morale and effectiveness at a critical time.
Read More
Source:
PBS
Share this news:
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(734x230:736x232)/ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-kiss-of-the-spider-woman-4-100625-02eb6f152cc44fb899503a149cec8202.jpg)
