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Fired CDC chief Susan Monarez warns senators that RFK Jr. is endangering public health - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, September 17th 2025 at 15:54 GMT by 7News Miami
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Fired CDC Chief Warns Senators of RFK Jr.’s “Public Health Hazard”

In a dramatic turn of events, a former senior official of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now turning her back on the public‑health establishment and warning U.S. senators that anti‑vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) poses an “unprecedented threat to public health.” Susan Monarrez—who served as the CDC’s Chief of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Division before her abrupt dismissal in early 2024—took the Senate Health Committee to testify on Thursday, urging lawmakers to take concrete steps to counter the spread of dangerous misinformation.

From the Front Lines to the Senate Floor

Monarrez’s career at the CDC spanned over a decade, during which she led investigations into outbreaks of measles, polio and, most recently, the COVID‑19 pandemic. In a public statement released a month before her firing, the CDC’s director, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, cited “a failure to comply with internal policy” as the reason for her dismissal. Monarrez denied the allegations, calling them “a politically motivated attempt to silence a voice that has always spoken truth to power.” She claimed her resignation was forced after she refused to “publish data that contradicted CDC guidance on vaccine safety.”

The senator panel that heard her testimony—comprised of members of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions and the Committee on Energy & Commerce—immediately turned its attention to RFK Jr. Monarrez’s testimony, which highlighted how the former senator’s “unfounded claims about vaccine safety have real‑world consequences.” She recounted several instances in which parents in rural communities cited RFK Jr.’s statements as the reason they chose not to vaccinate their children, resulting in measles outbreaks that could have been prevented.

“Every time RFK Jr. makes a false claim about vaccines, the public health system takes a hit,” Monarrez told the committee. “We’re seeing a decline in vaccination rates, a rise in preventable diseases, and an erosion of trust in our medical institutions.” She cited data from the CDC’s own Vaccine Safety Surveillance system, noting that, between 2021 and 2023, measles cases rose 14 % in states where anti‑vaccine messaging was most prevalent.

A Broader Landscape of Misinformation

The Senate hearing was not the first time RFK Jr. has been at the center of a public‑health debate. The former independent counsel and Democratic presidential candidate has been a vocal critic of the COVID‑19 vaccination campaign, famously claiming that the virus is a “bioweapon” engineered by the U.S. government. In 2021, he published a book—The Gospel of Vaccine Safety—in which he alleged a “microcephaly pandemic” caused by vaccines, a claim that has no scientific backing.

Monarrez was quick to point to the CDC’s own “Vaccine Injury Compensation Program” and the “National Vaccine Advisory Committee” (NVAC) guidelines, both of which underscore the extensive safety monitoring of vaccines. She referenced a 2022 NVAC report that concluded no causal link exists between COVID‑19 vaccines and autism, a claim that has been repeatedly debunked by epidemiological studies (see CDC Vaccine Safety website).

Her testimony also touched on RFK Jr.’s ongoing legal battles. The activist has filed a series of defamation suits against major pharmaceutical companies and vaccine manufacturers, arguing that they “engaged in a campaign of intimidation.” In 2023, a federal court dismissed one of his lawsuits for lack of evidence, noting that the plaintiff failed to meet the burden of proof required for defamation.

Senate Responses and Calls to Action

In the wake of Monarrez’s testimony, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D‑NY) said the committee would “look into ways to protect the integrity of our public health messaging.” He echoed concerns that RFK Jr.’s statements could fuel a “public health crisis” by stoking vaccine hesitancy. Meanwhile, Republican Senator Ted Cruz (TX) called for a bipartisan approach to “counter misinformation,” citing the need for “clear, science‑based communication.”

Several members of the committee suggested a multi‑pronged strategy: increased funding for community health outreach, expanded vaccine literacy programs in schools, and enhanced penalties for individuals who knowingly spread false vaccine claims that lead to measurable harm. Monarrez herself urged the Senate to consider “public health legislation that holds public officials accountable when they disseminate disinformation.”

The Bigger Picture

While the Senate’s deliberations are ongoing, the conversation surrounding vaccine misinformation has taken a new, urgent shape. With COVID‑19 still circulating, and with emerging pathogens like monkeypox and mpox on the horizon, experts stress that any erosion of public trust in vaccines can have ripple effects across the entire health system.

Monarrez’s testimony has already sparked a wave of media coverage. A follow‑up article in The Washington Post (see link) delves into RFK Jr.’s history of anti‑vaccine advocacy and the political fallout of his recent book. Meanwhile, a CDC briefing (link) outlines current vaccine safety metrics and provides updated guidance on addressing vaccine hesitancy in communities.

In the end, Susan Monarrez’s plea underscores a simple truth: public health is a collective effort that relies on fact‑based messaging and institutional trust. As lawmakers weigh her recommendations, the nation will be watching closely to see whether a new era of public‑health policy can rise to counter the very narratives that threaten it.