Attacks on CDC and Its Leadership Put Americans’ Lives and Health at Risk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The firing of the CDC Director, Dr. Susan Monarez, and related resignations of other respected agency leaders represents a continued dismantling of the nation’s public health infrastructure and abandonment of evidence-based public health practice. This follows earlier troubling announcements of mass layoffs and the elimination of critical programs at the CDC. 

There is no question that these actions put the health and lives of Americans at risk. Altogether, these actions have cost the CDC decades of institutional memory and expertise, dismantled lifesaving initiatives, and set back efforts to protect Americans from infectious diseases, chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, tobacco use, drug overdose, and other health threats. It is especially troubling that public health leaders are being fired for standing up for evidence-based public health strategies and against misinformation, particularly about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines.

We urge the Administration to protect our nation’s public health infrastructure, including public health experts on the front lines of protecting the health and safety of Americans. We also urge Congress to exercise its responsibility to conduct rigorous oversight of Administration actions, and properly fund the vital, lifesaving work of the CDC and other public health agencies.