Dr. Debra Houry, former chief medical officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified Wednesday that the United States "is on track to see drastic increases in preventable diseases and declines in health" as a result of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s actions.
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In her opening remarks in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Houry said, "America's progress in health is one of the greatest success stories in history." Less than two centuries ago, the nation's life expectancy "hovered around 39 years," she said.
Today, while that figure has roughly doubled, the institutions responsible for those gains are being eroded, Houry said. Under Kennedy's policies and actions, she said, "We trade proven gains for avoidable harm."
Houry pointed to multiple examples, including Kennedy's decisions to halt a flu vaccine campaign and to replace public health experts with vaccine skeptics on the CDC's advisory group on immunization practices. She also noted actions that have weakened the CDC's lab and data systems, which have been "our nation's first line of defense against pandemics and biothreats."
"Due to the secretary's actions, our nation is on track to see drastic increases in preventable diseases and declines in health," Houry said. "Trust and transparency have been broken. Here again, the problem is not too much science, but too little."
The hearing comes a day before a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, has come under fire for removing all members of the board and replacing them with people who align with his views. The panel is expected to vote on authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, among others.