{"id":2090247,"date":"2025-09-17T18:40:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T22:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/?post_type=article&#038;p=2090247"},"modified":"2025-09-18T05:09:44","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T09:09:44","slug":"watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignwide is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YW7PyPV8mZI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 in her first public remarks since she was fired. Some Republicans on the committee accused her of lying and said she hadn\u2019t been on board with the administration\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As in earlier hearings concerning Robert F. Kennedy\u2019s performance as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the focus was on Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who cast the deciding vote as HELP Committee chair to confirm Kennedy early this year. Since that vote, Cassidy has repeatedly expressed skepticism about Kennedy\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cassidy noted that when Kennedy swore in Monarez on July 31, he extolled her \u201cunimpeachable scientific credentials.\u201d Less than a month later, she was fired. \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cTurmoil at the top of the nation\u2019s top public health agency is not good for the health of the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Monarez said she came into the job aligned with Kennedy\u2019s goals of improving America\u2019s health and was open to changing the policies and structures at the CDC. She wasn\u2019t ready to compromise her scientific judgment, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI could have kept the office, the title, but I would have lost the one thing that cannot be replaced: my integrity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n<div\n\tclass=\"wp-block block--newsletter  \"\n\tdata-type=\"kaiser-health-news\/newsletter\"\n\tdata-align=\"center\"\n\tstyle=\"\"\n>\n\t<h4 class=\"newsletter__title\">\n\t\t<a href=\"\/email\/\">\n\t\t\tEmail Sign-Up\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/h4>\n\t<p class=\"newsletter__description\">\n\t\tSubscribe to KFF Health News&#039; free Morning Briefing.\t<\/p>\n\t\n<form\n\taction=\"\/email-signup\/\"\n\tclass=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form\"\n\tmethod=\"post\"\n>\n\t<input type=\"hidden\" id=\"kaiser_hubspot_nonce\" name=\"kaiser_hubspot_nonce\" value=\"dc9818bd64\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/2090247\" \/>\t\t\t\t<label\n\t\tclass=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form__label--email\"\n\t\tfor=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form-email\"\n\t>\n\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">\n\t\t\tYour Email Address\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<input\n\t\t\tautocomplete=\"email\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form__input--email\"\n\t\t\tid=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form-email\"\n\t\t\tname=\"kaiser_hubspot_email\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"email\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tplaceholder=\"Your email address\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\/>\n\t<\/label>\n\t<button class=\"kaiser-hubspot-mini-signup-form__submit\">\n\t\tSign Up\t<\/button>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Monarez said that at an Aug. 25 meeting, Kennedy demanded she fire senior scientists and agree to approve all changes in vaccine policy put forward by the new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. In June, Kennedy fired its members and replaced them with a smaller group that includes leading opponents of the U.S. vaccination program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Monarez refused both requests, she said, Kennedy told her to resign. She refused, and the White House fired her, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kennedy, in testimony this month, denied he\u2019d made the ultimatums and said Monarez had lied. Republican senators repeated that claim at Wednesday\u2019s hearing. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma said a recording of the Aug. 25 meeting contradicted Monarez\u2019s account. But later in the hearing, Cassidy said that Mullin had retracted his statement, saying there was no such recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"block--sidebar alignright \">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"is-style-classic  wp-block-kff-common-promo\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__image\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__link\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/acip-hhs-cdc-rfk-hepatitis-hep-b-newborn-childhood-vaccine-recommendation-change\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" src=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/RFK-Senate.jpg?w=500\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seated in a Senate hearing room.\" \/>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__title\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__link\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/acip-hhs-cdc-rfk-hepatitis-hep-b-newborn-childhood-vaccine-recommendation-change\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\tRFK Jr.\u2019s Vaccine Panel Expected To Recommend Delaying Hepatitis B Shot for Children\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__excerpt\">A federal vaccine panel, recently reshaped by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is expected to vote on delaying the hepatitis B shot for newborns. Pediatricians warn that could open the door to a comeback for a disease virtually eradicated among U.S. children.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-kff-common-promo__read-more wp-block-kff-common-promo__link\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/acip-hhs-cdc-rfk-hepatitis-hep-b-newborn-childhood-vaccine-recommendation-change\/\">Read More<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p>The hearing appeared to confirm reports that Kennedy intends to change the childhood vaccine schedule, moving initially against recommending a hepatitis B vaccination shortly after birth, a practice the CDC has supported for more than three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vaccines\/hcp\/imz-schedules\/child-adolescent-age.html\">CDC recommends<\/a> that children be vaccinated against 16 pathogens with about 25 shots, sprays, or oral vaccinations in their first two years of life. The vaccines protect kids against such diseases as influenza, measles, whooping cough, meningitis, diarrhea, chickenpox, cancer, and pneumonia. It\u2019s up to states to decide which vaccinations are required for schoolchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) noted that for decades universal vaccination of newborns for hepatitis B has reduced case rates of the disease among young people by 99%, as reported by KFF Health News. Sens. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Cassidy (R-La.) asked about plans, <a href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/acip-hhs-cdc-rfk-hepatitis-hep-b-newborn-childhood-vaccine-recommendation-change\/\">first reported by KFF Health News<\/a>, for ACIP to vote to recommend pushing the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine from the hours after birth to age 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cassidy, in closing the hearing, spoke gravely of the dangers of ending the hepatitis B dose for newborns. He noted that before 1991 as many as 20,000 babies would become infected with hepatitis B, often leading to liver disease and sometimes death. Today, fewer than 20 babies a year contract the virus from their mothers, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3840\" height=\"2563\" src=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg\" alt=\"A gaggle of reporters holding up their phones and video cameras interview Senator Bill Cassidy in a Senate hallway.\" class=\"wp-image-2090272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg 3840w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=500,334 500w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=1270,848 1270w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=2048,1367 2048w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=770,513 770w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=840,560 840w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=720,480 720w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=570,380 570w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=370,247 370w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=270,180 270w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=170,113 170w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=100,67 100w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=120,80 120w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=1170,780 1170w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=200,134 200w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=315,210 315w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=630,420 630w, https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_7869.jpg?resize=1200,801 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3840px) 100vw, 3840px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) speaks to reporters after former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified at a hearing of the Senate&#8217;s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17.<span class=\"photo-credit\">(Eric Harkleroad\/KFF Health News)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat is an accomplishment to make America healthy again, and we should stand up and salute the people that made that decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asked by reporters after the hearing whether the American public should have confidence in the advisory committee if it votes to delay the hepatitis B dose for newborns, he replied, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2090269,"template":"","meta":{"_cr_original_post":"","_cr_replace_post_id":"","_cr_replacing_post_id":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"kff_featured_video":0,"kff_show_featured_video":false,"kff_show_mute_audio_button":false,"custom_shortlink":"\/MjA5MDI0Nw","kaiser_health_news_byline_override":"","kaiser_health_news_can_republish":true,"kaiser_health_news_featured_image_caption":"","kaiser_health_news_header_overlay_color":"","kaiser_health_news_header_theme_slug":"","kaiser_health_news_hero_image":0,"kaiser_health_news_backdrop_padding":115,"kaiser_health_news_hide_partner":false,"kaiser_health_news_kicker":"","kaiser_health_news_kicker_background_color":"","kaiser_health_news_kicker_text_color":"","kaiser_health_news_kicker_url":"","kaiser_health_news_nav_theme_slug":"compact","kaiser_health_news_nav_transparency":false,"kaiser_health_news_sharing_title":"","kaiser_health_news_show_featured_image":false,"kaiser_health_news_subheadline":"","kaiser_health_news_suppress_kicker":false,"kaiser_health_news_suppress_subheadline":false,"kaiser_health_news_update_time":"","kaiser_health_news_vertical_image":0,"kaiser_health_news_title_align_left":false,"kaiser_health_news_custom_header_image":0,"photo_byline":[],"story_update":"","update_position":"bottom","kaiser_syndication_sites":[],"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-09-17T22:45:52Z","apple_news_api_id":"330a72d5-c183-42b0-961b-c74639725dc6","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-09-18T09:09:51Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AMwpy1cGDQrCWG8dGOXJdxg","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":["https:\/\/news-api.apple.com\/sections\/20265c01-23d7-4d15-96e0-0691b89c3772"],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28006,36835],"tags":[439530183,303248460,102910,303216622,303277465,439524171,303322937,84540],"primary-topic":[],"partners":[],"funder":[],"coauthors":[439527100,439526544],"class_list":["post-2090247","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-public-health","category-syndicate","tag-agency-watch","tag-cdc","tag-childrens-health","tag-hepatitis","tag-hhs","tag-trump-administration","tag-congress","tag-vaccines"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"KFF Health News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-18T09:09:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/\",\"name\":\"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-17T22:40:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-18T09:09:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg\",\"width\":3000,\"height\":2000,\"caption\":\"Former CDC Director Susan Monarez at a Senate hearing on Sept. 17.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/\",\"name\":\"KFF Health News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News","description":"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News","og_description":"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.","og_url":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/","og_site_name":"KFF Health News","article_modified_time":"2025-09-18T09:09:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":3000,"height":2000,"url":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/","url":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/","name":"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence - KFF Health News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-17T22:40:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-18T09:09:44+00:00","description":"Susan Monarez and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief medical officer Debra Houry described turmoil in an agency dominated by anti-vaccine political officials nominated by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/09\/DSC_3208_1.jpg","width":3000,"height":2000,"caption":"Former CDC Director Susan Monarez at a Senate hearing on Sept. 17."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/watch-susan-monarez-fired-cdc-chief-senate-hearing-rfk-jr-vaccines-hepatitis-b\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Articles","item":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/article\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Watch: Fired CDC Chief Says RFK Jr. Demanded She Roll Back Vaccine Policies Without Evidence"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/","name":"KFF Health News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"authors":[{"name":"Arthur Allen","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/author\/arthur-allen\/","id":"1106377"},{"name":"Hannah Norman","link":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/news\/author\/hannah-norman\/","id":"1033181"}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/2090247","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/2090247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2090292,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/2090247\/revisions\/2090292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2090247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2090247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2090247"},{"taxonomy":"primary-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/primary-topic?post=2090247"},{"taxonomy":"partners","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/partners?post=2090247"},{"taxonomy":"funder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funder?post=2090247"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kffhealthnews.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2090247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}