Fired US health agency chief testifies on pressure to 'replace evidence with ideology'

The Manila Times

Fired US health agency chief testifies on pressure to 'replace evidence with ideology'  "Even under pressure I could not replace evidence with ideology, or compromise my integrity," former chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Susan Monarez, tells senators during a high-profile testimony, saying that she was fired for refusing to approve changes to childhood vaccine schedules not backed by scientific evidence and other demands made by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  SENATE POOL / AFP  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at [https://www.manilatimes.net](https://www.manilatimes.net/)  Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion  Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #TheManilaTimes #WorldNews

Transcript

00:00research and discovery. Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology

00:07or compromise my integrity.

00:10Dr. Morniz, you're almost out of time. I'll be generous, but if you could speed up just a little.

00:16Vaccine policy must be guided by credible data, not predetermined outcomes.

00:20As I wrote in my...

00:21...an exchange where I had suggested that I would be open to changing childhood vaccine schedules

00:27if the evidence or science were supportive. And he responded that there was no science or evidence

00:34associated with the childhood vaccine schedule. And he elaborated that CDC had never collected

00:41the science or the data to make it available related to the safety and efficacy.

00:46To be clear, he said there was not science or data, but that you still expected you to change the schedule.

00:52Correct.

00:53Okay. Dr. Owry.

00:54It concerns me. It really concerns me. As you are aware, and Dr. Owry can elaborate on,

01:02these are very important, highly technical discussions that have life-saving implications

01:09for our children and others who need vaccines. And if you don't have the commensurate skill sets

01:15or the ability to ask the right questions, and you're willing to sign off on decisions that are not

01:24made with the best available data and evidence, it does put at risk our children. It puts at risk

01:31others who need these vaccines. And it takes us into a very dangerous place in public health.

01:37That morning, I had been clear that I was not going to fire scientists, that I was not going to

01:46pre-commit to pre-approving vaccine recommendations without data and science.

01:51I had been very alarmed at the demands. And I had reached out as part of what I understood my obligations

02:03to communicate that to this committee. The secretary became aware of that. And in the context of those

02:12activities, he told me he could not trust me. I told him that if he could not trust me, he could fire me.

02:26I served 10 years at CDC under six directors and four administrations. In each case, priorities shifted,

02:37but decisions were grounded in evidence, transparency, and consultation with the world's best

02:42scientists. That has changed. I resigned because CDC leaders were reduced to rubber stamps,

02:50supporting policies not based in science, and putting American lives at risk.

02:56Secretary Kennedy censored CDC science, politicized its processes, and stripped leaders of independence.

03:04I could not, in good conscience, remain under those conditions.

03:13Gabrie Harley are one of the struggles to know everybody he can identify by across cons and

03:17an hour.

03:22Thank you so much for being here.

03:24Repeat this time.

03:26If you are every legal institution or bowl up in Greece, please sign the way.

03:30SUBSCRIBE...

03:33...

03:36...

03:40You

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