The dismissal of the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States and the resignation of several managers of high-level agencies pose immediate challenges to the operations of the country’s first public health agency, experts said.
He could take “several months” to identify and confirm a replacement by CDC director Susan Monarez, who was dismissed Wednesday after less than a month of work, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, director of the American Public Health Association. And it could take more time to fill at least four vacant key stations that oversee disease epidemics, vaccines and public health data.
“The whole chain of command has just been disrupted,” Benjamin told the Associated Press. “It’s like getting rid of your generals in the middle of a war.”
Health experts have said that Americans may see immediate effects, confusion on the availability of COVVI-19 vaccines to the responses delayed to epidemics of infectious diseases such as measles or foods of food origin caused by germs such as E. coli or lists.
“The average American should be concerned about his safety and health and the question of the solution of health and social services information,” said Dr. Anne Schuhat, former main assistant director of the CDC, who left the agency in 2021.
Here is what you need to know about sudden changes to the CDC.
The White House ousted Monarez on Wednesday after apparent clashes between the director of the CDC and the Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on the changes in the policy of the nation vaccine.
Officials of the White House said that Monarez had been dismissed because she was not aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda and refused to resign.
This action coincided with the resignation this week at least four best leaders of the CDC agency: Dr. Debra Houry, deputy director of the agency; Dr. Daniel Jernigan, agency’s work manager on emerging infectious diseases; Dr Demetre Daskalakis, a senior vaccine official; And Dr. Jennifer Layden, who directed public health data efforts.
Monarez was the first CDC director to demand confirmation of the Senate under a law which took effect in 2023. The replacement of Elle would forced Trump to appoint a new director, who should then be considered and confirmed by the Senate. On Thursday, the Republican senator Bill Cassidy said that high -level departures “will require” surveillance “from the Senate, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which he presides.
In the meantime, the president could appoint an acting director of the CDC, noted Benjamin.
Replacing leaders in other positions, including those who occupy employment for years, will be difficult, said Schuchat.
“The four people who resigned led important parties to the agency and had respect for the nation and the world,” she said.
In an appearance on “Fox & Friends, ”refused to comment directly on the upheaval of the CDC. But he said he was concerned about CDC officials with the vision of the administration on health policies.
“We must therefore examine the priorities of the agency, if there is really a deeply, deeply anchored discomfort, I would say, discomfort at the agency,” said Kennedy. “And we need a solid leadership that will go to this and that will be able to execute the great ambitions of President Trump.”
The CDC confrontation has apparently been triggered by conflicts on policy changes concerning the recommendations for COVVI-19 vaccinations which could make a more complicated blow for people.
On Wednesday, Food and Drug Administration approved the COVVI -19 update, but limited their use for many Americans – and deleted one of the two vaccines available for young children. The new strokes of three manufacturers are approved for all seniors, but the FDA has reduced their use for adults and children to those who suffer from high -risk health problems, such as asthma or obesity.
FDA approval is generally examined by an advisory committee on CDC vaccines, which makes recommendations for use. Monarez said that it would not automatically sign the committee’s recommendations, which was sorted on the side by Kennedy, according to Dr. Richard Besser, former interim director of the CDC. (Besser is now president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who helps support the Department of Health and Sciences of the Associated Press.)
Changes have new obstacles to access to millions of Americans, who should prove their risk, and others who may want to shots but who do not suddenly qualify. Vaccines were previously recommended for Americans 6 months and more.
“These decisions, taken without supporting evidence, reflect a disturbing scheme by the HHS to interfere in the relationship between patients and their health care providers and the limitation of access to vaccines – public health tools to save lives and reduce costs,” said Michael Osterholm, researcher of infectious diseases of the University of Minnesota.
In addition, the disruption of the CDC could compromise many local health services underpinned by the support and expertise of the agency, noted Schuchat. This could indicate the follow -up of an epidemic of infectious diseases flowing, such as measles or epidemics of foods of food origin.
“This is the water you drink, the head of your pipes. Look around your community,” she said. “If people are doing well and in good health, it’s probably partly because of the CDC.”
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The Department of Health and Sciences of the Associated Press receives the support of the Department of Science Education from Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
