CDC Hearing Raises More Questions Than Answers

During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, Susan Monales from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention faced off against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the Department of Health and Human Services. The discussions, however, seemed to leave many issues unresolved.

Monales didn’t clearly answer inquiries regarding her stance on Covid-19 booster shots for children, especially when questions about her connections with a Democratic lawyer arose, along with what exactly transpired in her last meeting with her supervisor.

She provided insights into the Vaccination Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP), a pivotal panel of external experts advising pediatricians on vaccine strategies. This hearing followed a notable split with Kennedy that occurred in August. Senators on the Health, Education, and Pension Committee expressed unease about the upcoming ACIP meeting, pointing out concerns related to new members and potential changes.

Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana appeared to support Monales, encouraging doctors to disregard ACIP’s guidance under Kennedy’s direction.

“Determining who is truthful may be a challenge, but this hearing marks a crucial step in uncovering why the CDC’s senior leadership was either dismissed or chose to resign beforehand,” Cassidy remarked. “This turmoil at the helm of top health agencies isn’t beneficial for the public’s wellbeing.”

Monales detailed events leading up to her firing. She claimed that she learned in early August that ACIP might alter its childhood vaccination guidelines without backing data. By August 19, Monales was informed that her decision would be reviewed by political staff in Kennedy’s office, and she was summoned to Washington, DC just two days later.

On August 25, Monales described being called by Kennedy for a series of three meetings. He conveyed, somewhat animatedly, that he had heard she was disinclined to follow ACIP’s recommendations, urging her instead to commit to those recommendations and terminate certain CDC officials.

Kennedy has since reshaped ACIP, bringing in new scientists to resolve worries regarding panelists with connections to pharmaceutical companies.

In another part of the hearing, Senator Tommy Tuberville questioned Monales about her explanations, suggesting they lacked credibility, and asked if she had defied her superiors, including Kennedy and President Trump.

Monales stated that Kennedy expressed doubts about trusting her because she was conveying information to individuals outside his team.

As the discussions progressed, Monales reflected on their focus on specific vaccine evidence without elaborating further. Senator Mark Wayne Marin interjected, claiming her account of their conversation was misrepresented. He even pointed out that the conversation had been recorded.

Marin also pressed Monales on the removal of access for political appointees at the CDC, from whom she had been hired prior to her appointment. Monales said they needed to provide space for their staff.

There were moments of hesitation when Monales mentioned consulting her legal team about her job. Her attorneys, Mark S. Zaid and Abbe David Lowell, are known for representing adversaries of Trump.

Senator Ashley Moody from Florida repeatedly pushed Monales to disclose her attorneys’ names during the session, but she remained evasive.

In a curious exchange, Zaid priorly represented a whistleblower in the Trump administration, and Lowell, among other connections, has worked with Hunter Biden.

Monales maintained that Zaid was not politically oriented, to which Senator Jim Banks expressed disbelief.

Additionally, the hearing highlighted Kennedy’s appointment of new members to ACIP, with some senators labeling these new additions as “vaccine skeptics.” However, there was a distinct lack of information regarding their backgrounds or previous statements from both Kennedy and former CDC officials. Monales simply noted that there were concerns from the medical community regarding their qualifications.

Details were also sparse on Monales’ worries regarding changes to vaccination schedules or the specifics of those potential changes. She mentioned being told by Kennedy to connect with Aaron Ciri, an ally and attorney involved in litigation against vaccine manufacturers.

This hearing appears to be part of Cassidy’s ongoing efforts to limit Kennedy’s evaluation of vaccines. Cassidy had sought several assurances when voting to confirm Kennedy, including a pledge to avoid altering ACIP, which Kennedy seemingly dismissed by terminating all 17 ACIP members in April.

Kennedy and Cassidy have publicly disagreed over whether newborns should receive the hepatitis B vaccine right away, especially if the mother is not a carrier of the virus.

Monales is the first CDC director to seek confirmation from Cassidy’s committee following a new law that changes the appointment process, which formerly bypassed the Senate.

Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky pressed Monales on potential adjustments to the childhood vaccination schedule, especially regarding the hepatitis B vaccine.

“If the mother doesn’t carry hepatitis, what medical justification is there for vaccinating the newborn?” Paul challenged, but Monales did not address the question.

Paul further probed into the necessity of starting Covid-19 vaccinations for children at six months old.

“We need honest discussions about the science. We can’t simplify it to ‘all vaccines are good’ or ‘all vaccines are bad.’ It’s important to focus on specific age groups,” he emphasized.

Monales claimed she was receptive to different viewpoints but indicated hesitation in adopting ACIP’s suggestions without scientific basis.

Further, Monales stressed that Kennedy exerted significant control over ACIP, influencing decisions usually reserved for experienced CDC staff and political appointees.

She noted that Kennedy’s direct involvement at HHS played a role in setting the agenda for the upcoming ACIP meeting. Typically, the CDC shares voting questions and data prior to sessions, but this time, it had not done so.

Lastly, Monales indicated she discovered updates on CDC recommendations about Covid vaccinations for pregnant women through social media, emphasizing a lack of evidence explaining those changes. Notably, the FDA has not evaluated Covid vaccines for their safety in pregnant women during clinical studies.