Susan Monarez has stepped down as director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention after serving within the place for lower than a month, making her the shortest-tenured director within the company’s 79-year historical past.
Neither the company nor Monarez have offered an official motive for her departure. The Division of Well being and Human Providers did, nonetheless, verify her exit by way of a put up on X on Wednesday afternoon.
“Susan Monarez is now not director of the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. We thank her for her devoted service to the American individuals. @SecKennedy has full confidence in his crew at @CDCgov who will proceed to be vigilant in defending People in opposition to infectious illnesses at house and overseas,” the put up learn.
Monarez’s temporary tenure occurred throughout a interval of upheaval on the CDC.
She was sworn in on July 31, and on August 8, a gunman opened hearth on the CDC’s Atlanta campus, firing greater than 180 rounds and killing a police officer.
The gunman, Patrick Joseph White, reportedly blamed his Covid-19 vaccination for his despair and suicidal ideas. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation described the taking pictures as a focused assault on the CDC tied to his grievances over vaccines.
The tragic incident got here throughout a time when the company was already grappling with widespread layoffs, key management departures and escalating rigidity over vaccine coverage modifications spearheaded by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
This summer season, Kennedy dismantled the CDC’s long-standing advisory committee on immunization, which has traditionally consisted of impartial scientists and physicians who set evidence-based vaccine pointers. Of their place, he appointed members with a historical past of questioning or opposing mainstream vaccine suggestions, together with some affiliated with anti-vaccine advocacy teams just like the Youngsters’s Well being Protection and the Knowledgeable Consent Motion Community.
Monarez’s exit stemmed from conflicts with Kennedy over the path of future vaccine coverage, administration officers accustomed to the matter advised The Washington Publish this week.
These sources mentioned that Monarez was pressured by Kennedy and different officers to assist rescinding sure Covid-19 vaccine approvals, and she or he refused to commit to those modifications with out consulting her advisors.
This created friction, and she or he enlisted Senator Invoice Cassidy (R-Louisiana) — who forged a key vote for Kennedy’s affirmation after Kennedy offered assurance he would uphold established vaccine security mechanisms — to mediate. This additional angered Kennedy, and Monarez was given the choice to both step down or be fired, the officers advised the Publish.
Earlier than working within the CDC, Monarez was the deputy director of Superior Analysis Tasks Company for Well being (ARPA-H). She has about 20 years of expertise working for presidency businesses — along with the CDC and ARPA-H, she has held roles on the Division of Homeland Safety and the White Home’s Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage.
Most of Monarez’ expertise working for the federal authorities has centered on strengthening the nation’s preparedness and response to organic, chemical and different health-related threats.
Photograph: The Washington Publish, Getty Photographs
