Several past directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and interestingly, they seem to be connected to the special interests of the Make America Healthy Movement, as revealed through a review of their biographies and lobbying records.
One former director referred to Kennedy as “dangerous.” An editorial from the New York Times pointed out that this group included individuals who are taking advantage of Republican divisions over Kennedy’s leadership, without mentioning any financial connections to industries and nonprofits that might be losing influence under his tenure.
A spokesperson for HHS commented on these findings, stating, “The conflict of interest and the established status quo have broken Americans’ trust in our public health system. Secretary Kennedy is determined to promote transparency and endorse scientific standards to restore confidence in our healthcare institutions.”
The criticism from previous CDC officials came after Susan Monares was removed from her role as CDC director on August 27. This event was seen as a significant shift in the approach to the Advisory Committee on Vaccination.
Monares testified before the Senate Health, Education, and Pensions Committee, claiming that Kennedy had instructed her to pre-approve certain ACIP decisions and to bypass vaccine staff.
Former CDC director Rochelle Walensky co-wrote the editorial that questioned Kennedy’s leadership, despite her previous tensions with the committee. In fact, she had previously pushed for COVID booster shots for healthy adults back in 2021.
In another editorial, NYT writers criticized Kennedy for supporting federal laws that could lead to millions losing Medicaid coverage. Yet, they didn’t acknowledge the economic ties some of the authors have with healthcare companies affected by these changes.
Mandy Cohen, who acted as CDC director under Biden, currently advises a firm that lobbies for various health issues and has connections to Medicaid and Medicare clients. This raises questions about potential conflicts of interest, particularly about her firm’s lobbying efforts related to Medicaid funding.
When Cohen joined the firm in March 2025, her expertise was touted in relation to “changes impacting Medicaid” and “public health strategies.” Meanwhile, discussions around policy decisions during COVID have been called into question by various critics.
Health executive William Roper, who led the CDC during George H.W. Bush’s presidency, has also been scrutinized. He resigned from a major dialysis company’s board of directors in 2020 after earning significant compensation over several years. His earlier involvement with the company extended beyond his CDC tenure.
Roper served as dean of the UNC School of Medicine, where he avoided disclosing corporate board positions, raising ethical concerns. Notably, his term coincided with growing scrutiny over connections between the Wuhan Virology Institute and collaboration on coronavirus research.
Both Cohen and Roper did not respond to inquiries for comments regarding these matters.
Nonprofit organizations
Several former CDC officials have also supported nonprofits that have accepted financial backing from special interest groups. Two directors who contributed to recent critiques have been previously linked to special interests and faced significant backlash.
During 2010-2015, Coca-Cola donated a hefty sum to the CDC Foundation, and there are indications that company representatives collaborated with the CDC on various initiatives. Despite statements denying acceptance of corporate support, the CDC has reportedly received millions from drug companies through its foundations.
Frieden and others have noted the diminished effectiveness of global health initiatives since the U.S. withdrew funding from the World Health Organization during Trump’s administration. Meanwhile, affiliations with organizations focused on climate issues have also been highlighted.
Requests for comments from Walensky, Koplan, Satcher, Frieden, and Schuchat went unanswered.
