At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees are living under a climate of fear and suspicion following significant leadership changes under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Since his appointment in February, over 10,000 staff members have been dismissed, leading to a chaotic environment where remaining employees fear surveillance and tightened bureaucratic controls. Many have turned to handwritten notes and soundproof offices to avoid potential recordings.
Kennedy has initiated sweeping reforms aimed at addressing inefficacies, but insiders report that cuts to long-standing public health programs have created dysfunction. Significant health initiatives related to chronic disease prevention and vaccine oversight are being dismantled. Notably, he controversially fired all members of the advisory committee on immunisation practices (ACIP), marking a shift that others warn could jeopardize public health.
Sources express frustration over the bureaucratic hurdles added to grant processes and funding shortages, which impact day-to-day operations at agencies like the FDA. Concerns abound that these changes will undermine the effectiveness of health inspections and ultimately worsen public health outcomes.
Despite claims of pursuing evidence-based leadership, current and former employees feel disillusioned and see the reforms as a threat to scientific integrity. Those fired are hesitant to return under an administration they perceive as “anti-science.” The environment is described as one of perpetual anxiety, raising fears about the long-term implications for public health in the U.S.
