The US’s top public health agency was plunged into chaos on Wednesday after the Trump administration moved to oust its leader Susan Monarez, sworn in less than a month ago, as her lawyers said she would not resign and that she was being “targeted” for her pro-science stance.
Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was ousted on Wednesday evening, according to a statement from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that offered no explanation its decision.
Monarez, who was confirmed by the Senate just last month, appeared to have run afoul of Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, after she declined to support sweeping changes to US vaccine policies, according to reporting from the Washington Post and the New York Times.
her lawyers said she would not resign and that she was being “targeted” for her pro-science stance.
What a fucking world we live in where people heading departments that are based on science are being vilified by the current administration for being in favor of science.
Far from the first time. We went through echoes of this during Bush and Reagan, with regard to Stem Cell Research and AIDS intervention.
We’re just facing an administration that’s broadened the anti-science attitude from experimental blue sky research and niche at-risk populations to routine century old medical treatments.
Stand strong Susan Monarez! You ARE a superhero. Your country and indeed the world needs more people just like you.
I hope her tenacity is infectious.
I know nothing about Monarez, Did Trump’s people not vet her before nomination? Or was she so naive as to not understand they were going to come for things that help even her family and she finally made the connection?
It would appear that she is refusing to listen to RFK jr spount worm science as fact and fire qualified staff, she’s the hero we need.
Likely, she was the worst they could come up with that still passed the Senate’s vetting process, and they assumed RFKjr could steamroll her.
