Monarez warns of vaccine changes possible without a permanent director in place

    By
    Emily Hallas
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    Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implications for children's health on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025.
    Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine recent events at the CDC and implications for children's health on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

    Monarez, the former CDC director who was recently fired by the Trump administration, raised fears during a separate congressional hearing on Wednesday that vaccine “restrictions” could be coming under Kennedy’s leadership.

    “There is a real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need without rigorous scientific review,” she told lawmakers during a Senate health committee hearing. “With no permanent CDC director in place, those recommendations could be adopted. The stakes are not theoretical. We have already seen the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children. If vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return.”