Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. never asked to be briefed by scientists at the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ), said a former CDC director who stepped down in the wake of the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez on Wednesday.

Newsweek reached out to HHS via online form on Thursday for comment.

Why It Matters

The CDC is the primary public health agency for the United States. A federal agency under the HHS, the CDC is responsible for protecting the health of the nation through disease control and prevention. It is a global leader on infectious and chronic diseases and a go-to source of health information.

The removal of Monarez comes amid criticism from some experts of public health policy in the second term of President Donald Trump , in particular his

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