At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees have adopted a culture of secrecy and caution, fearing surveillance and reprisals under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Since his appointment, over 10,000 staff members have been fired, destabilizing the health agency’s operations. Current and former employees express concerns about the dismantling of vital health programs and the politicization of vaccine policies, noting that existing systems for disease prevention and research are being disrupted.
Kennedy’s approach includes firing the long-established advisory committee on immunization practices and launching initiatives under outdated technology, which critics argue undermine scientific standards. Insiders describe increasing dysfunction, claiming funding shortages have reduced resources to the point where employees resort to scavenging supplies.
Amidst these changes, staff report heightened anxiety and uncertainty regarding the future of public health efforts. Critics warn that the erosion of oversight and scientific rigor could have dire consequences for American health, particularly as healthcare programs critical for disease prevention are being dismantled. Many former employees express a lack of desire to return to an environment they see as increasingly anti-scientific.
