Washington, Sept 3:
More than 1,000 current and former employees of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have demanded the resignation of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., citing actions they say are “compromising the health of the nation.” The call comes in the wake of the controversial removal of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez and the resignation of four top CDC leaders that followed.
In a letter addressed to Kennedy, President Joe Biden, and members of Congress on Wednesday, the group urged the appointment of a new HHS Secretary with the qualifications and independence to ensure that national health policy is guided by unbiased, peer-reviewed science.
“Should he decline to resign, we call upon the President and U.S. Congress to appoint a new Secretary of Health and Human Services, one whose qualifications and experience ensure that health policy is informed by independent and unbiased peer-reviewed science,” the letter stated, according to The Hill. “We expect those in leadership to act when the health of Americans is at stake.”
The letter builds on earlier concerns raised in August, when HHS staff appealed to Kennedy to take stronger measures to protect health professionals after the tragic August 8 shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. Following the letter’s initial release on August 20, an additional 887 staff members signed on, bringing total support to over 1,000. The campaign is being coordinated by the advocacy group Save HHS.
HHS, however, issued a statement dismissing the letter, accusing its authors of politicizing the Atlanta tragedy. Kennedy himself has yet to respond directly.
The new letter criticizes Kennedy for appointing “political ideologues who pose as scientific experts and manipulate data to fit predetermined conclusions,” while also accusing him of verbally targeting his own employees.
“We believe health policy should be based in strong, evidence-based principles rather than partisan politics,” the letter read. “But under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, HHS policies are placing the health of all Americans at risk.”
Many signatories chose to remain anonymous, citing fears of retaliation and threats to their personal safety.
