The Director of the Licensed CDC says that RFK Jr. aims to change the childhood vaccine calendar
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The Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., plans to soon modify the calendar of infant vaccines, according to the former director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Susan Monarez, which Kennedy has ousted his role earlier this month.
Monarez informed American legislators on Kennedy’s plans on Wednesday during a hearing organized by the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The hearing is the first public appearance of Monarez since its dismissal, which has prompted several other high -ranking CDC officials to resign.
In an editorial of September 4 in the Wall Street Journal and again on Wednesday, Monarez said that it had been withdrawn for refusing guidelines against rubber without proof of support.
“He just wanted general approval,” said Monarez at the hearing, referring to Kennedy. “If I couldn’t get involved in the approval of each recommendations, I should resign.”
Monarez said Kennedy plans to modify the recommendations for infantile vaccinations against COVVI-19 and hepatitis B. The two strokes will be discussed at a meeting this week of the CDC advisory committee on immunization practices, which is responsible for formulating directives.
“During the first meeting [with Kennedy]He asked me to commit me to dismiss scientists or to resign. He asked me to pre-engage to sign each of the next recommendations of the ACIP, whether or not there is scientific evidence. »»
Debra Houry, the former CDC head doctor who resigned after the ouster of Monarez, also testified during the hearing on Wednesday.
The ACIP meeting, which will take place on Thursday and Friday, will be closely monitored. A agenda project indicates that the Committee will discuss and vote on guidelines for hepatitis B vaccines, covid and measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.
Monarez and Houry told senators that they knew no scientific evidence to support the change in the age at which children can obtain these vaccines.
Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La, expressed his support for the inclusion of hepatitis B vaccine in the calendar of infant vaccination. The shooting is recommended for all infants.
“It is an accomplishment to make America again healthy, and we must get up and greet people who made this decision, because there are people who would otherwise have died if these mothers had not had this option for their child to be vaccinated,” said Cassidy.
Since he became HHS chief, Kennedy has rebuilt Aipic, pulling his 17 previous members and stacking him with seven advisers he chose. This week, a few days before the Committee meeting, Kennedy added five new members, including people whose history is atypical of the panel. Now, among the members of the panel, there are criticism of cocovated vaccine policies and skeptics of vaccine technologies like Messenger RNA.
During a previous meeting in June, the seven advisers chosen for the first time by Kennedy indicated that they had doubts about the evidence supporting the hairstyle vaccines and voted to remove a little used but controversial preservative which was targeted by anti-vaccine groups.
As a rule, CDC working groups are preparing data to support APIP votes on directives. Houry said that no working group in addition to Covid was summoned before this week’s meeting.
Monarez said that it would be open to modifying the timetables of infant vaccines if there were proofs in support to do so.
“Kennedy replied that there was no science or proof associated with the infant vaccine calendar, and he explained that the CDC had never collected science or data to make it available to security and efficiency,” said Monarez.
Studies supporting vaccines included in the childhood vaccination calendar are public, and the current calendar was supported by medical associations.
“I am concerned that our medical institutions should take care of the sick children who could have been avoided by effective and safe vaccines,” said Monarez. “I am concerned about the future of confidence in public health.”
