The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday along party lines, 51 to 47, to confirm Susan Monarez as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
President Trump nominated her for the role in March, praising her as “an incredible mother and dedicated public servant” who “understands the importance of protecting our children, our communities, and our future.”
CDC Director Susan Monarez / Credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Monarez has been serving as the acting head of the CDC since January, and previously worked as the head of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. She was viewed as somewhat surprising pick for the CDC role because unlike most recent CDC directors, she holds a Ph.D. but is not a medical doctor.
The CDC said Monarez “brings decades of distinguished experience in health innovation, disaster preparedness, global health, and biosecurity” to the agency, and will help advance the “mission to Make America Healthy Again.”
At her confirmation hearing before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) committee on July 9, Monarez garnered praise from the Republican chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, who is a physician, for her commitment to rebuilding public trust in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats on the committee grilled her about the impact of cuts in federal funding for health programs and medical research, and expressed concern about the CDC’s role under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Monarez was questioned by committee members about a range of health topics. Here are some of those highlights.
Monarez on vaccines
Monarez faced a number of questions about vaccine recommendations. Kennedy has been a longtime vaccine critic who has pushed a discredited theory linking routine childhood shots to autism, but during her hearing, Monarez refuted that view and stated that she has “not seen a causal link between vaccines and autism.”
Amid a growing measles outbreak this year, Kennedy has acknowledged the vaccine’s efficacy against the disease while still saying he supports individual choice. In a March interview with CBS News, Kennedy publicly encouraged people to get the measles vaccine.
“If I’m confirmed as CDC director, I look forward to supporting the secretary with science and evidence, and making sure that I am giving him the best information possible,” Monarez said at her confirmation hearing. “Measles is an important health threat and we have to make sure we are doing everything that we can to prevent and mitigate it.”
Monarez was also asked about the continued availability and affordability of vaccines if the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, made up of new RFK Jr. appointees, makes changes to recommendations.
“Vaccines absolutely save lives, and if I’m confirmed as CDC director, I commit to making sure we continue to prioritize vaccine availability,” she said.
Monarez on fluoride
Fluoride, another topic Kennedy has spotlighted, was also a subject of discussion during Monarez’s hearing. This year, two states, Utah and Florida, became the first to ban the use of fluoride in drinking water, where it’s been added for decades to help prevent tooth decay.
“Fluoride is an important component to oral health, and there are various aspects of using fluoride to improve oral health — a direct application can be very valuable,” Monarez said.
Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland specifically asked Monarez whether the water in Potomac, Maryland, which has fluoridation, is safe for families.
Monarez replied: “I believe the water in Potomac, Maryland is safe.”
Monarez on RFK Jr. and the measles outbreak
Measles came up repeatedly as senators questioned Monarez about how she would interact with Kennedy in her role at the CDC.
“The CDC director can’t perform this critical role unless they are politically independent. Which means that you must be willing to disagree with political leaders based on scientific evidence,” Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire said. “So, is there anything that you disagree with Secretary Kennedy about?”
“If I’m confirmed as CDC director, I look forward to having technical discussions with the secretary. He has said he values and prioritizes independent thinking and using science to drive decision making,” Monarez replied. “I am an independent thinker, and I am a scientist, and I will welcome the opportunity to share my opinions based on science and evidence with him as he makes some of these very difficult decisions.”
After Monarez sidestepped a question from Hassan about whether she disagrees with anything Kennedy has done, the senator got more specific, asking about Kennedy’s claim that it’s “very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person.” This year’s measles outbreak, centered in West Texas, killed two children who doctors said did not have previous health conditions.
Monarez replied that measles is an “important public health threat” that can be lethal.
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