The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is in the midst of a storm with an official Demetre Daskalakis resigning and writing a letter on X stating that he was ‘unable to serve’ in the current environment. It has prompted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt to address the issue.
Leavitt, speaking of the official's resignation, said “He identifies pregnant women as 'pregnant people,' so that's not someone who we want in this administration...”.
She added that if people were not aligned with President Donald Trump or Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy's vision of making America healthy again, then they would ‘gladly show them the door.’
What did the CDC official write in his letter?
Leavitt's response comes after a lengthy letter Daskalakis posted on X. He wrote he was resigning from his position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
{{/usCountry}}Leavitt's response comes after a lengthy letter Daskalakis posted on X. He wrote he was resigning from his position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
{{/usCountry}}“This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission,” he wrote, adding, “However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough.”
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“I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health. The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people,” he continued in the letter.
Flagging blatant non-transparency within the structure under Kennedy, Daskalakis stated it was ‘untenable’ to “serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC.”
Stating that he was not resigning due to the recent shooting at the CDC, the official went on to state “My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur.”
Signs of a larger tumult
While Daskalakis has been incredibly vocal in his criticism, he's not the only one to quit. Three others have also resigned over Kennedy's announcement of changes that would limit access to the Covid vaccine. This came after the White House fired CDC director Susan Monarez. Daniel Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, and Jen Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology have resigned, as per The Hill.
Seeking to restore confidence, Leavitt said, “The President and Secretary Kennedy are committed to restoring trust and transparency and credibility to the CDC... We're going to make sure that folks that are in positions of leadership there are aligned with that mission.”