New York – The CDC is in chaos and some groups are starting to step in and take over work the agency was doing.

The moves come in response to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s extensive – and some say illegal – restructuring and downsizing of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many public health veterans see an agency wracked by a leadership crisis, staff cuts, budget cuts and unprecedented levels of political meddling. The concern hit a crescendo when the White House moved to oust the agency's director and some top CDC leaders resigned in protest.

But even before CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired, some organizations started pursuing new ways to do jobs formerly handled by the CDC.

Some are working to preserve longstanding vaccination recommendatio

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