(Reuters) -Former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez said on Thursday she was pushed to rubber-stamp the decisions of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s hand-picked vaccine advisory committee, calling her ouster part of a broader push to weaken U.S. vaccine standards.
Monarez was fired in late August, barely a month into her tenure, following a series of clashes with Kennedy, including disputes over vaccine policy and her refusal to dismiss senior CDC staff.
Four top officials resigned in protest after her firing. Medical groups and former CDC leaders have since voiced alarm, warning that political interference could jeopardize vaccine programs.
In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Thursday, Monarez said she was pressured to "preapprove" the recommendations of the revamped vaccine advisory panel.
All 17 members of the panel were fired by Kennedy in June. Several of their replacements have publicly expressed anti-vaccine sentiment.
Monarez said she refused to comply, insisting that vaccine recommendations must be reviewed rigorously on scientific grounds, not rubber-stamped for political purposes.
"The CDC cannot fulfill its obligation to the American people if its leader cannot demand proof in decision-making," she wrote, stressing that evidence, not ideology, must guide public health policy.
She warned against stacking advisory committees and removing scientific staff, calling it "sabotage."
Monarez concluded that she was ousted for "holding the line" on science.
"I lost my job. America's children could lose far more."
Her short tenure also saw a deadly shooting at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta. Investigators linked the attack to vaccine distrust. Monarez said the incident underscored the urgent need to rebuild trust in public health institutions.
Kennedy is testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday on President Donald Trump's healthcare agenda, where he will likely face questions on the administration's vaccine policies and recent upheavals at the CDC.
(Reporting by Mrinalika Roy in BengaluruEditing by Rod Nickel)
