Amid a series of leadership changes and concerning controversies, all while monitoring and responding to public health threats at the same damn time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is in complete turmoil. Here’s what every Black American needs to know about the public health meltdown… now.
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The Sudden Firing of Director Susan Monarez
Dr. Susan Monarez, a microbiologist and public health expert, was confirmed by the Senate as the CDC director in July. But that didn’t last long — at all. She was fired from her role less than one month into her confirmed term amid conflicts with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s Health Secretary, because she “refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives,” her lawyers say.
According to reports, despite being canned, her lawyers argued her firing was illegal because she was Senate-confirmed, therefore, only the president can remove her. But President Trump’s administration did just that, NBC News reports. “Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said. “Since Susan Monarez refused to resign despite informing HHS leadership of her intent to do so, the White House has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC.”
The firing of Monarez, who is a trained epidemiologist, paves the way for politicized decisions over science-driven policies. Research shows local health departments led by clinicians achieve significant reductions in Black and white mortality gaps.
The Subsequent Fall Out After Dr. Susan Monarez’s Firing
Dr. Monarez’s termination prompted mass resignations, or a “bat signal” in form of a protest, from four senior CDC officials: Dr. Debra Houry (Chief Science and Medical Officer), Dr. Demetre Daskalakis (Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases), Dr. Daniel Jernigan (the Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases), and Dr. Jennifer Layden (Director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology).
These personnel no longer in place could affect HIV prevention, reproductive health, and environmental safety, all of which disproportionately serve Black populations. Especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC has increasingly focused on racial disparities that affect Black Americans the most.
Dr. Debra Houry, for example, was key in these efforts. Now, with the top ranked officials no longer on their post, programs designed to address chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, which are more prevalent in Black communities, could be rolled back significantly.
The Controversial CDC Acting Director
Now that Dr. Monarez is no longer the CDC’s director, Jim O’Neill — who is not a physician or a scientist — was named by RFK Jr. on Thursday (Aug. 28) to take her spot. Per NPR, O’Neill has “expressed very strong libertarian (a philosophy that prioritizes individual liberty with minimal government intervention) views,” including how folks should receive cash for donating their organs just to incentivize more supply. O’Neill, who once helped Peter Thiel develop man-made islands outside of the U.S., had previously argued that drug companies shouldn’t be required to prove a new drug is effective, only that it is safe, before being sold to the public.
“You can be a great administrator but you do need to at least have a knowledge of how you’d handle an outbreak or an emerging pathogen,” Dr. Houry told the outlet about O’Neill.
The appointment of O’Neill, who has a background in fiance and venture capitalism, a stark contrast to Dr. Monarez, could be particularly worrisome for Black people. Some reports suggest the CDC’s new leadership won’t fully grasp the complex issues that contribute to health disparities with Black folks, like the impact of chronic diseases and medical racism.
Mass CDC Layoffs
At least 600 CDC employees were handed permanent layoff notices. The cuts affected numerous divisions within the agency that are critical to the safety and well-being of African Americans. For instance, some 100 employees from the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP), which helps prevent all forms of violence by conducting research, developing and testing prevention programs, and promoting evidence-based strategies, received pink slips.
Divisions working on the prevention and awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS — which Black Americans are diagnosed with more than seven times the rate of non-Hispanic whites– will ultimately be affected.
Disproportionate Impact of Funding Cuts
If the CDC layoffs weren’t enough, hundreds of millions of dollars in CDC grants to state and local health departments have reportedly been cancelled.
Even before the CDC fallout, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in April: “There’s a growing sense of uncertainty and not feeling whole in this nation. Cuts at the CDC impact health, national security, community wellness, jobs in Atlanta, and faith in our day to day.”
A KFF Health News report revealed that even federal funding was heavily dependant on whether a state was primarily Republican or Democrat-leaning. States with the largest Black populations in the country, including Georgia and Texas, could lose crucial resources needed to help African American communities. And because of funding cuts, projects have been halted, essential staff isn’t sufficient and immunization clinics, for example, could directly impact the well-being of Black residents.
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