Kennedy Jr. Denies Pressuring CDC Director Amid Vaccine Policy Dispute

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. denied allegations that he pressured the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to preapprove vaccine recommendations. The former director, Susan Monarez, was removed from her position shortly after her Senate confirmation.

In an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal, Monarez stated that Kennedy had pressured her to resign or face termination. She claimed that during a meeting, she was instructed to preapprove recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel that had been restructured with individuals known for their anti-vaccine views.

Kennedy testified before the Senate Finance Committee, where he was questioned about his vaccine policies. He refuted Monarez's claims, stating he never had a private meeting with her and that witnesses to their meetings would corroborate his account. He also denied demanding that Monarez accept the panel's recommendations without further review from CDC scientists.

Kennedy claimed he asked Monarez to resign because he questioned her trustworthiness, to which she allegedly responded negatively. However, lawyers representing Monarez released a statement calling Kennedy's claims false and ridiculous, reaffirming her statements in the Wall Street Journal.

In June, Kennedy had replaced all members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, a panel responsible for vaccine recommendations, alleging it had become a mere formality. He then appointed new members, including individuals with known skepticism towards vaccines, bypassing the usual CDC selection process. The newly formed ACIP is scheduled to meet later this month to discuss vaccine recommendations.