HHS Secretary Faces Calls for Resignation After Contentious Senate Hearing

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Welcome to The Logoff: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a disastrous day in front of the US Senate today, facing calls for his resignation during a multi-hour hearing that raised more alarms about the state of US public health agencies.

What was the hearing about? Senators from both parties pushed Kennedy on vaccine policy and availability, as well as firings and resignations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC director Susan Monarez was pushed out last week along with four top agency officials who resigned in protest over her departure, and earlier this year, Kennedy removed every member of a CDC advisory panel on vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration also issued new guidelines last week sharply limiting access to the Covid vaccine after the agency’s top vaccine regulator overruled FDA scientists, and in early August, Kennedy cut $500 million in federal mRNA vaccine contracts intended to combat respiratory viruses like bird flu.

What did senators say? Three Republican senators – two of them doctors – were sharply critical of kennedy. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)