The new head of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Susan Monarez has been removed less than a month after she was confirmed by the Senate, US media reports said.
The action has triggered new chaos in the country’s premier public health agency, as a number of senior executives have resigned following her removal.
Monarez, a seasoned federal government scientist with expertise in infectious disease research, was nominated by former President Donald Trump earlier this year. She was approved by the Senate in July following Trump’s initial nominee, former Republican congressman Dave Weldon, who recused himself amid backlash over his inflammatory remarks on vaccines and autism.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) official confirmation of her departure was made in a statement on X, thanking Monarez “for her devoted service to the American people.” Yet, the agency offered no explanation for why she was ousted.
Her ouster occurs at a delicate time for the CDC. Within days of the news, at least three high-ranking officials tendered their resignations, including Daniel Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. In an email that a CBS News source obtained, Jernigan listed “the current context in the Department” as his reason for resignation, although it is unclear whether he specifically linked his departure to Monarez’s firing.
Monarez was notable as the first CDC director in 50 years without a medical degree, bringing a research-focused background to the position. During her brief tenure, she was praised for helping reassure employees after a gunman attacked the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters, leaving one police officer dead. The attacker reportedly believed he had been harmed by Covid-19 vaccines.
The shakeup also came as US vaccine policy saw huge changes. On Wednesday, updated Covid-19 vaccines were authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but with limitations confined to the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, revoking the widespread emergency use authorizations granted under the Biden administration.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been criticized for years for his anti-vaccine messaging, declared “full confidence” in the CDC team despite the leadership transition. Last week, current and former CDC employees signed an open letter calling Kennedy out for provoking hostility toward public health professionals.
Adding to the turmoil, a union representing CDC employees recently verified that about 600 workers were let go, including researchers working on bird flu, environmental risk investigations, and disease-response activities.
The crisis of leadership, along with layoffs and changing vaccine policies, have raised new doubts about the fate of the agency charged with protecting public health both domestically and internationally.
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