At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees are adopting a survival strategy of secrecy and low profile due to a climate of fear and monitoring following the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary. Over 10,000 staff have been fired, causing chaos and dysfunction across the CDC, FDA, and NIH. Longstanding scientific norms have been disrupted, with major research programs being canceled under the pretext of improving efficiency, according to current and former staff.
Kennedy’s push to redefine health priorities is criticized as he terminates expert committees, undermining public confidence in vaccine science and causing detrimental impacts on health initiatives. There are disruptions in bureaucratic processes, leading to shortage of resources and a negative impact on public health oversight. Critics express concern that the administration’s policies are increasingly anti-science, raising alarms about the consequences for American health. Employees experience anxiety and uncertainty, fearing the long-term repercussions of Kennedy’s reforms.
