Different Takes: RFK Jr. Decries ‘Irrational Policy’ At CDC; Congress Must Take A Stand On Its Fate
Editorial writers examine the controversy over the CDC and other public health issues.
The Wall Street Journal:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: We’re Restoring Public Trust In The CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was once the world’s most trusted guardian of public health. Its mission—protecting Americans from infectious disease—was clear and noble. But over the decades, bureaucratic inertia, politicized science and mission creep have corroded that purpose and squandered public trust. That dysfunction produced irrational policy during Covid: cloth masks on toddlers, arbitrary 6-foot distancing, boosters for healthy children, prolonged school closings, economy-crushing lockdowns, and the suppression of low-cost therapeutics in favor of experimental and ineffective drugs. The toll was devastating. America is home to 4.2% of the world’s population but suffered 19% of Covid deaths. (HHS Chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 9/2)
The Boston Globe:
Only Congress Can Save The CDC Now
For those of us who work, or have worked, at the CDC, the Aug. 8 attack made one question unavoidable: How do we survive this growing derangement toward public health that is ruthlessly encouraged by our leaders at the highest levels? (Charles LeBaron, 9/2)
Chicago Tribune:
The CDC Is Under Siege. The Poor Will Pay The Price.
The CDC, long regarded as the world’s gold standard of epidemiology, is under siege. Programs targeting infant mortality, youth violence, smoking, maternal and child health, mental health, obesity, lead poisoning and infectious disease tracking have been slashed. Surveillance reports and early warning systems have been curtailed, while health promotion and advocacy for communities disproportionately affected by inequity are being censored. Scientists are leaving in droves and being replaced by political loyalists. (Stan Chu Ilo, 9/3)
Stat:
Vaccines Are Becoming An Electoral Liability For Republicans
Democrats are grappling with their lowest approval ratings in 35 years. Voters prefer Republicans on nearly every policy issue, according to new polling by the Wall Street Journal. In fact, voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on only two issues: health care and vaccine policy. (Larry Bucshon and Michael C. Burgess, 9/3)
Bloomberg:
Zepbound Or Wegovy Choice Should Be Up To Doctors Not Insurers
As evidence grows supporting the potential health benefits of obesity drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound, so too— frustratingly — do the barriers to accessing them. (Lisa Jarvis, 9/3)
Stat:
Health Insurance Churn Is Killing Americans
There is a deadly condition in the United States that has received almost no attention and is not being addressed. It is not a disease or sociodemographic characteristic. It is churn. While it might sound like an unpleasant infection or embarrassing skin condition, churn is not a physical ailment at all. Rather, churn is a peculiar predicament that occurs because of the United States’ tremendously fragmented health insurance system. (Ezekiel J. Emanuel and John A. Graves, 9/3)
