# Cato’s Dr. Jeffrey Singer: RFK Jr.’s CDC Shake-Up Underscores Politicization of Public Health 

The turmoil at the CDC shows what happens when politics dictates medical debate

September 4, 2025 • News Releases 

As Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies today before the Senate Finance Committee, his decision to fire CDC Director Susan Monarez — and the subsequent resignation of three senior leaders, has sparked concerns over the politicization of public health.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Singer, senior fellow at the Cato Institute, says the controversy illustrates why medical science should remain independent of government control.

“The turmoil at the CDC shows what happens when politics dictates medical debate,” said Dr. Singer. “Science advances through open discussion among medical professionals and researchers- not through political mandates that present one version of the ‘official’ truth.”

Dr. Singer argues that this moment may mark a turning point in returning scientific authority to scientists themselves, free from political influence.

You can find more of Dr. Singer’s work on this subject [here](https://www.cato.org/blog/breaking-governments-grip-medical-debate).

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