At the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees describe a tense atmosphere marked by paranoia and fear of being monitored under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Since his appointment, over 10,000 staff have been fired, with many expressing concerns about a chaotic restructuring of health priorities perceived as “anti-science.” Kennedy’s reforms aim to overhaul the health system but are disrupting longstanding scientific norms and shutting down critical research programs.
Employees, wary of surveillance, avoid Zoom meetings and conduct sensitive discussions in soundproof offices. They report a lack of essential resources, scavenging supplies left by sacked colleagues, and facing bureaucracy that complicates grant processes instead of streamlining them.
Kennedy’s controversial stance on vaccines has further raised alarms; he recently dismissed all members of the advisory immunization committee, sparking fears of politicizing vaccine science. Despite promises to improve public health, insiders predict serious consequences from dismantled programs previously vital for disease prevention. Many current and former CDC employees express deep despair about the future of American public health under this administration, emphasizing that the current trajectory is poorly aligned with scientific integrity.
