Joint Statement Calling for Secretary Kennedy Resignation
As national medical, scientific, public health and patient organizations, we call for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to ensure the health of the American people.Forcing high-level CDC expert leaders to turn their back on decades of sound science to meet Kennedy’s agenda puts us all at risk. This final exclamation point on a term defined by repeated efforts to undermine science and public health definitively leaves Americans less safe in a multitude of ways:
- Food safety: Reduced capacity to protect the public from foodborne illness, including a drastic reduction in the number of infections monitored and a resulting increased risk of foodborne illness.
- Diagnostic testing and expert consultation: Limited testing capacity and consultation for less common infections where expertise, testing or medications may only be available at CDC.
- Infection tracking and surveillance: Lack of information about what infections are circulating in local communities, which health care providers rely upon to evaluate and protect patients.
- Public and provider education: Loss of expertise and trust in what was once the premier source of information to support clinicians and empower patients to make the best decisions to protect themselves and their families.
- Chronic disease prevention and management: Weakened initiatives that promote healthy behaviors, preventive care and community-based projects to prevent and manage chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
- Emergency response: Diminished leadership and capacity to detect and mount effective responses to emerging infectious diseases and bioterror attacks.
- Longstanding epidemics: Reversal of progress made in ending the HIV epidemic, eliminating viral hepatitis and addressing sexually transmitted infections.
- Health and safety throughout the lifespan: Loss of expertise and information to support healthy pregnancy, child development and injury prevention.
- Vaccination: Decimated capacity to make evidence-based vaccine recommendations and objectively oversee vaccine safety.
- State and local health departments: Loss of expert guidance, technical support and resources to protect communities from routine health threats.
Thank you,  
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of HIV Medicine 
American Association of Immunologists
American Public Health Association
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Virology
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 
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Camenzind Solutions LLC 
Fast-Track Cities Institute 
HIV Medicine Association
ID Care
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International Association of Providers of AIDS Care 
NTM Info & Research 
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society  
Peggy Lillis Foundation
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP)
Stop TB USA 
Treatment Action Group 
