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A former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reacted to the dismissal of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.). The committee's dismissal, announced earlier this week, has sparked controversy and concern among health professionals.
In an interview with PBS NEWS, Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the CDC (2009-2017) responded to the decision of the Secretary of Health:
“This decision means we could potentially have recommendations that aren't based on facts, resulting in further spread of disease, and people having to pay hundreds of dollars for something that doesn't cost them a cent today.”
Vaccines and RFK Jr.
This Monday, June 11, RFK Jr. announced that he was going to fire The 17 members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This committee advises the CDC by analyzing vaccine information: it studies population data to develop recommendations on who should be vaccinated and which patients should be covered by health insurance.
RFK Jr., notoriously skeptical of vaccines, explained his reasoning for dismissing the committee in a opinion article published by The Wall Street Journal:
“A complete overhaul is needed to restore public confidence in vaccine science.”
This dismissal is not the only action RFK Jr. has taken to redefine the role of vaccination in public health. On May 27, secretary announced that the CDC will no longer recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for “healthy young people” and pregnant women.
It's important to note that the CDC recommendations RFK Jr. has altered aren't just there to guide health professionals in caring for their patients. These recommendations also determine which procedures, medications, or surgeries will be covered by patients' health insurance. This point is emphasized by Dr. Frieden in his interview with PBS News.
Dr. Frieden Reacts to ACIP Dismissal: Important Notes
The former CDC director responded as follows when asked how the committee's dismissal will affect routine immunizations and health insurance's ability to cover them:
“We are already seeing a decline in immunization rates. And when Secretary Kennedy says he wants to restore confidence, the reality is that his actions for many years have been one of the main reasons vaccine hesitancy exists.”
Dr. Frieden also contextualizes this decision with the other steps taken by Secretary Kennedy since his inauguration at the beginning of the year:
“It’s clear that Secretary Kennedy has concerns about vaccines. Those beliefs often contradict the facts. And I fear that this could soon be what defines federal policy, determining who can get vaccinated, who can be reimbursed for it, and who will have to pay out of pocket.”
The rest of the interview between PBS News reporter Geoff Bennet and Dr. Frieden reveals the unease caused by the secretary's decisions. Health professionals continue to closely monitor this decision and its consequences.
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