Health experts claim that Robert F Kennedy Jr’s persistent undermining of science and public health has weakened the safety of Americans.
Published On 4 Sep 2025
Over twenty health organizations and medical associations have requested Robert F Kennedy Jr to resign from his position as the United States’ health secretary. They accuse him of endangering lives by ignoring decades of scientific advancements in health and reversing medical progress.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the groups—including the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Public Health Association, and the American Association of Immunologists—voiced their concerns about Kennedy compelling CDC experts to abandon established scientific principles to advance his personal agenda.
The groups also criticized Kennedy for his continuous attempts to discredit science and public health, asserting that his actions have made Americans less secure in various ways.
“Our nation requires leadership that promotes open, truthful communication, not the dismissal of decades of life-saving science, the dissemination of misinformation, the reversal of medical progress, and the demolition of programs that safeguard us,” stated the groups.
“We are profoundly worried that the American populace will unnecessarily suffer and die due to policies that turn away from evidence-based interventions,” they added.
The letter follows multiple former CDC directors who last week stated that Kennedy’s decisions are endangering Americans’ health. This was after he dismissed the agency’s director, Susan Monarez, less than a month after she was appointed.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai stated that Monarez was not aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda and refused to resign, leading to her termination by the White House.
Monarez’s lawyers contended that she was targeted because she refused to endorse unscientific, reckless directives and terminate dedicated health experts.
Her departure accompanied the resignations of at least four other high-ranking CDC officials in response to Kennedy’s influence over the agency.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Kennedy stated his aim to reinstate the CDC’s focus on infectious diseases and to rebuild trust through transparency and expertise.
Kennedy, who has faced accusations of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation, has introduced significant changes to US vaccination policies since his appointment by Trump, creating friction with health officials.
In May, he revoked federal recommendations for COVID shots for pregnant women and healthy children. In June, he dismissed all members of the CDC’s expert vaccine advisory panel, replacing them with his chosen advisors, including anti-vaccine activists.
In August, he canceled nearly $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine research, a decision health experts warned could significantly increase the US’s vulnerability to future respiratory virus outbreaks.
Kennedy argued that the US will redirect mRNA funding to other vaccine development technologies he deems “safer” and “effective.”
The International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health attributes mRNA vaccines with preventing millions of deaths from COVID-19, positing that the technology holds promise for treating diseases like cancer and HIV.
Most recently, on August 20, hundreds of federal health employees urged Kennedy to cease disseminating inaccurate health information, calling for his resignation or termination.
Signatories accused Kennedy of eroding public trust by doubting the integrity and morality of the CDC’s workforce, even branding the public health agency a “cesspool of corruption.”
In a joint statement released on Wednesday, the groups—including the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Public Health Association, and the American Association of Immunologists—voiced their concerns about Kennedy compelling CDC experts to abandon established scientific principles to advance his personal agenda.
The groups also criticized Kennedy for his continuous attempts to discredit science and public health, asserting that his actions have made Americans less secure in various ways.
“Our nation requires leadership that promotes open, truthful communication, not the dismissal of decades of life-saving science, the dissemination of misinformation, the reversal of medical progress, and the demolition of programs that safeguard us,” stated the groups.
“We are profoundly worried that the American populace will unnecessarily suffer and die due to policies that turn away from evidence-based interventions,” they added.
The letter follows multiple former CDC directors who last week stated that Kennedy’s decisions are endangering Americans’ health. This was after he dismissed the agency’s director, Susan Monarez, less than a month after she was appointed.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai stated that Monarez was not aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda and refused to resign, leading to her termination by the White House.
Monarez’s lawyers contended that she was targeted because she refused to endorse unscientific, reckless directives and terminate dedicated health experts.
Her departure accompanied the resignations of at least four other high-ranking CDC officials in response to Kennedy’s influence over the agency.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Kennedy stated his aim to reinstate the CDC’s focus on infectious diseases and to rebuild trust through transparency and expertise.
Kennedy, who has faced accusations of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation, has introduced significant changes to US vaccination policies since his appointment by Trump, creating friction with health officials.
In May, he revoked federal recommendations for COVID shots for pregnant women and healthy children. In June, he dismissed all members of the CDC’s expert vaccine advisory panel, replacing them with his chosen advisors, including anti-vaccine activists.
In August, he canceled nearly $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine research, a decision health experts warned could significantly increase the US’s vulnerability to future respiratory virus outbreaks.
Kennedy argued that the US will redirect mRNA funding to other vaccine development technologies he deems “safer” and “effective.”
The International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health attributes mRNA vaccines with preventing millions of deaths from COVID-19, positing that the technology holds promise for treating diseases like cancer and HIV.
Most recently, on August 20, hundreds of federal health employees urged Kennedy to cease disseminating inaccurate health information, calling for his resignation or termination.
Signatories accused Kennedy of eroding public trust by doubting the integrity and morality of the CDC’s workforce, even branding the public health agency a “cesspool of corruption.”
