Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Fired CDC Director Says RFK Jr. Wanted Her To Preapprove Vaccine Changes
Fierce Healthcare: RFK Jr. Demanded Vaccine Policy Change Without Evidence, Fired CDC Director Testifies
Ousted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez, Ph.D., testified Wednesday that ahead of her firing, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told her there was “no science or evidence” in support of the current childhood vaccine schedule and that he planned to change it in September. ... Monarez recounted her side of the conflict with the secretary that occurred during multiple meetings Aug. 25. “We got into an exchange where I had suggested I would be open to changing the childhood vaccine schedule if the evidence or science were supporting,” Monarez said. “And he responded that there was no science or evidence associated with the childhood vaccine schedule, and he elaborated that CDC had never collected the science or the data to make it available [in relation] to the safety and efficacy." (Muoio, 9/17)
KFF Health News: Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence
Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 in her first public remarks since she was fired. Some Republicans on the committee accused her of lying and said she hadn’t been on board with the administration’s agenda. (Allen and Norman, 9/17)
The Boston Globe: Susan Monarez Hearing: Senators Try To Divide RFK Jr. And Trump
Lawmakers on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions panel also revived a bipartisan line of questioning that highlighted a wedge between President Trump and Kennedy during the HHS secretary’s recent appearance before the Senate Finance Committee earlier this month. Throughout that hearing, several senators took time to praise Trump’s Operation Warp Speed, the government-led effort that rapidly developed vaccines for the COVID pandemic during Trump’s first term. (Kopan, 9/17)
The Hill: Rand Paul Gets Into Testy Exchange Over Vaccines With Ex-CDC Head Susan Monarez
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) got into a heated exchange about vaccines with former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez. During a Wednesday hearing about Monarez’s ouster from the agency, Paul grilled her about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and the need for newborns to get a hepatitis B shot. (Weixel, 9/17)
The Hill: GOP Senators Grill Ex-CDC Director On Attorney Choice
Republican senators Wednesday attempted to undermine the testimony of former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez by attacking the attorneys she retained after being ousted. GOP Sens. Jim Banks (Ind.) and Ashley Moody (Fla.) questioned why Monarez is being represented by lawyers who have vocally criticized President Trump. (Weixel, 9/17)
