Former CDC Chief Medical Officer Says RFK Jr. Caused ‘Irreparable Harm’
Houry says 30% of staff cuts and new vaccine policy changes damaged CDC operations and public trust.
- On Sunday, former CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry told CBS News's "Face the Nation" that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has caused "irreparable harm" to public health.
- Houry resigned last August following the removal of CDC Director Susan Monarez, alleging that political appointees increasingly prioritized Kennedy's agenda over established scientific evidence.
- Kennedy suspended the "Wild to Mild" flu vaccination campaign during an active season and narrowed autism research to vaccine links, ignoring genetic and environmental factors Houry argues are scientifically critical.
- Public trust in the CDC has declined by over 20 points, with states removing links to agency recommendations, making rebuilding institutional credibility difficult, Houry warned.
- Federal judges have blocked Kennedy's attempts to overhaul the vaccine advisory committee, while the American Academy of Pediatrics continues suing the secretary over policy shifts.
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Former Chief Medical Officer for the CDC on RFK Jr. era
WASHINGTON (CBS, KYMA) - Dr. Debra Houry, the former Chief Medical Officer for the CDC, spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s role as the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. According to Brennan, when President Donald Trump was elected, he made an alliance with the Make America Healthy Again movement, and Kennedy, who President Trump appointed to be the HHS Secretary, said, "The CDC is the most corru…
Former CDC chief medical officer accuses RFK Jr. of causing ‘irreparable harm’
Dr. Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), decried the direction of the agency under Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “I think the secretary has caused a lot of irreparable harm, and when you look at many of the...
Former CDC chief medical officer says RFK Jr. caused ‘irreparable harm’
Dr. Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), decried the direction of the agency under Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “I think the secretary has caused a lot of irreparable harm, and when you look at many of the…
Transcript: Former CDC chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 5, 2026
The following is the full transcript of an interview with former CDC chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry, a portion of which aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on July 5, 2026. This interview was taped on July 1, 2026.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
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