RFK Jr. exiles top federal health leaders, including Fauci’s replacement
Top federal health leaders within the Department of Health and Human Services were abruptly removed from their positions on Tuesday as part of a major restructuring initiative led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Many of these leaders were reassigned to roles within the Indian Health Service (IHS), causing shockwaves across the federal health agencies.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, who took over from Dr. Anthony Fauci as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was among the senior officials who were ousted. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Karen Hacker, Kayla Laserson, and Dr. Jonathan Mermin were also put on leave and reassigned to the Indian Health Service.
Kennedy announced the changes with a bold statement on X, declaring, “The revolution begins today!” In an email to National Institutes of Health (NIH) staff, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya acknowledged the upheaval within the agency and pledged to lead NIH through these reforms with integrity and transparency.
Several other high-ranking officials at different HHS agencies were also reassigned, with limited options that often involved relocating to remote locations. Some officials expressed dissatisfaction with the reassignments, with one CDC official criticizing the move as disrespectful to the Indian Health Service.
Notable figures like Dr. John Howard and Dr. Brian King were among those effectively ousted on Tuesday. A department official clarified that the Indian Health Service was not directly impacted by the cuts and emphasized that the reassignments were voluntary.
The restructuring comes as part of a broader initiative to reduce the federal workforce by 10,000 employees, as directed by Kennedy and the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency task force. New leaders at the FDA and NIH were also announced, with Senate confirmation earlier in the month.
The CDC faced significant workforce cuts, with 2,400 employees slated to be laid off. Within the CDC, various teams were dismantled, including the Division of Reproductive Health and the Division of Population Health. Similarly, branches under Mermin’s STD and HIV/AIDS center were also affected.
These changes follow a series of resignations and forced departures from federal health agencies, including top officials at the FDA. More resignations and cuts are anticipated in the coming weeks as agencies navigate the aftermath of the restructuring. Agency leaders expressed frustration at being kept in the dark about the cuts and urged staff to provide updates on their status.
As federal health agencies undergo significant transformations, the impact of these changes on public health initiatives and programs remains to be seen. The reassignment of key leaders to the Indian Health Service raises questions about the future direction of these agencies and their ability to effectively address public health challenges.
