Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has caused “irreparable harm” to public health, arguing that public trust in the CDC has fallen sharply under his leadership.
Speaking in an interview aired Sunday on CBS News‘ “Face the Nation,” Houry said confidence in the CDC has dropped by more than 20 percentage points in several public polls, making it difficult for the agency to rebuild credibility. She also said a growing number of states are removing links to CDC guidance and relying on recommendations from other medical organizations.
“When states are removing links to the CDC website and following other medical organizations, I don’t know how you build back that trust overnight,” Houry said.
Trust Under Pressure
Houry served at the CDC for 11 years and resigned in August 2025 after then-CDC Director Susan Monarez was removed following disagreements over vaccine policy. During the interview, Houry said she left because she no longer believed she could protect the agency’s scientific integrity.
