Sanders’ op-ed details RFK Jr.’s firing of CDC leadership, dismantling vax advisory boards, defunding mRNA research
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<div> <p><img width="800" height="640" src="https://www.salon.com/app/uploads/2025/08/RFK-Sanders-2.png" alt="Senator Bernie Sanders (R) writes an op-ed in The New York Times calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his controversial decisions at the CDC. (Tasos Katopodi / Lisa Lake / Getty Images / Salon Staff)" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high"> </p> <p> Senator Bernie Sanders (R) writes an op-ed in The New York Times calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his controversial decisions at the CDC. (Tasos Katopodi / Lisa Lake / Getty Images / Salon Staff) </p> </div> <div> <section><p data-start="198" data-end="571">Senator Bernie Sanders published an op-ed in The New York Times on August 30, 2025, urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down, citing what he calls a “crisis of confidence” in America’s public health institutions.</p><p data-start="626" data-end="1369">Sanders’ critique comes in the wake of a string of controversial actions by Kennedy, including the abrupt dismissal of CDC Director Susan Monarez, the disbanding of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the halting of nearly $500 million in federal funding for mRNA vaccine development.</p><p data-start="1371" data-end="1999">According to Sanders, these actions “undermine scientific integrity, disrupt vaccine development, and threaten Americans’ access to life-saving healthcare.” He highlights the resignation of top CDC officials in protest as a stark signal that Kennedy’s leadership is incompatible with the responsibilities of HHS.</p><p data-start="2001" data-end="2554">The op-ed frames the resignation as both a moral and practical imperative, stressing that political ideology must not override science in safeguarding public health and ensuring pandemic preparedness. Sanders warns that dismantling vaccine advisory structures and defunding research could leave the U.S. vulnerable to future outbreaks.</p><p data-start="2556" data-end="2961">He also calls on Congress to hold HHS accountable for the upheaval, noting that the Trump-era appointee’s actions “threaten the public’s trust in health institutions that Americans rely on for safety and scientific guidance.” Sanders’ intervention signals rare but urgent congressional scrutiny of executive health policy, highlighting deep divisions over vaccine strategy, public trust, and governance.</p></section> <div> <h3> <span>By</span> CK Smith </h3> <p>CK Smith is Salon's weekend editor.</p> </div> <hr> <section> <h2> Related Topics <span> ------------------------------------------ </span> </h2> </section> <section data-post-id="869145" data-terms="acip,bernie_sanders,cdc,hhs,mrna,rfk-jr,robert-f-kennedy-jr,susan-monarez,vaccines"> <h2> <span> Related Articles </span> </h2> <div> <template> <div> <p><img src="https://www.salon.com/app/themes/salon/assets/img/salon-placeholder.webp" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" alt="Salon placeholder"> </p> </div> <span></span> </template> </div></section> <hr> </div>
Chuck and Doris Davis speak to reporters at the Windsor Regional Hospital's Met campus on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, about their experience with the Hospital To Home (H2H) program. Photo by Dan Janisse /The Windsor StarArticle content
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Unvaccinated young people account for most of the nation's 733 measles cases reported on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. File Photo by Yurko Dyachyshyn/UNICEF
Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Federal health officials reported 145 new measles cases amid outbreaks across 20 states over the past week, raising the nation's total to 733 so far this year.
South Carolina, by far, has recorded the most measles cases among states this year after an outbreak began in the fall and has reported a total of 920 confirmed cases since then -- including 44 new ones during the past week.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the nation totaled 733 cases for the year as of Thursday, including 727 across 20 states. Another six cases were confirmed among international travelers.
The majority of cases, 671, or 92%,...
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek says schools can decide on uniforms and activities using health and weather guidelines to ensure student safetyNIBONG THICK: The Ministry of Education has reiterated that school administrators have full autonomy to manage student attire and activities during periods of hot weather.
Minister Fadhlina Sidek said this decision-making power is guided by official advisories from the Malaysian Meteorological Department and the Ministry of Health.
“The welfare, health and safety of students, teachers and all school staff is our primary concern,” she said. She emphasised that clear guidelines are in place for schools to handle operations during extreme heat.
This includes allowing students to wear sports attire instead of their official school uniforms. School heads can also adjust or postpone physical activities based on real-time conditions.
“School administrators have leeway to look at the situation from time...
By: Dr. Nzuzi Katondi, WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Officer in Angola
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (NTD), marked every year on January 30, is an opportunity to reflect on a public health problem that continues to affect millions of people around the world and thousands of Angolans, especially in the most vulnerable communities.
NTDs encompass a range of preventable and treatable diseases, many of which can be eliminated or eradicated. Despite global progress, these diseases continue to place a significant burden on health systems and the socioeconomic development of affected countries. In 2024, approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide required interventions against NTDs, a significant reduction of 36% compared to 2010. By early 2026, 58 countries had eliminated at least one NTD, demonstrating that elimination is possible with consistent investment and effective leadership.
However, this progress is under threat....
Intermountain Children’s Health’s “Talk to Tweens” is a free, emotional wellbeing toolkit for parents available at TalkToTweens.org.
Pre-teen emotional well-being starts with spending time with them, talking to them – and encouraging them to talk to you. But how do you begin?
Intermountain Children’s Health’s “Talk to Tweens” is a free, emotional wellbeing toolkit for parents available at TalkToTweens.org. It has conversation-starters, ways to identify and talk with kids about their feelings, and help kids manage challenging emotions and situations.
“As a parent, you help your children learn skills to walk, talk, eat, and learn,” said Karlee Kump, community health programs manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “As they grow into tweens, they need new skills to navigate feelings and emotions – and you’re the best person to help.”
Rates of youth reporting that they feel persistently sad and hopeless has increased...
HORRIFIC CONDITIONS: The current situation of the temporary toilets that were issued last year. Pictures: SIBULELE MTONGANA Learners and staff at Port Alfred Junior Secondary School continue to face sanitation challenges more than a year after the issue was first identified, raising concerns about learner dignity, health and the impact on teaching and learning.The situation goes back to 2024, when the Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC Bukiwe Fanta visited the school and inspected the condition of the toilets. Following the visit, the MEC promised that the toilets would be rebuilt. In 2025, the department appointed Mvula Trust as the contractor to carry out the repairs.However, the project stalled after the contractor later withdrew, forcing...
Dear Henry,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your story with us.
You shouldn’t frame this as “fighting a promotion” or making it about your birthday at all. You need to frame it as documented retaliation after a resolved HR dispute.
You already did the hard part by pulling your contract and getting HR to back you. Now you need to follow through while the paper trail is still fresh.
Go back to HR calmly, not angry, and lay out a tight timeline: the after-hours demand, the public yelling, the failed HR complaint against you, and then the sudden promotion of a less-qualified employee weeks later. Don’t accuse him of being petty or emotional, let the facts imply it.
Ask HR one clear question: what criteria were used for the promotion, and why were you excluded after being told you were in line for it? If they dodge or downplay it, that’s your signal that this isn’t just about one boss anymore and you should start quietly...
ISLAMABAD: Roads leading to the Parliament House were cleared on Monday morning as the PTI and opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz-i-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP)’s sit-in over Imran’s health entered its fourth day.
The sit-in, which began on Friday, was announced hours after the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that only 15 per cent vision was left in the PTI founder’s right eye, prompting a strong response from the opposition alliance.
TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Yousafzai, speaking to Dawnsaid it was a surprising step that all the routes had been cleared.
On Friday, roads leading to Parliament House were blocked ahead of the sit-in.
“First of all, we are going to have breakfast after four days, as previously we were eating only dates and biscuits and were being forced to drink tap water. It has been decided to merge the sit-in at the...
Senior government officials on Tuesday extended Chinese New Year greetings, wishing residents a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse.
Speaking on an RTHK programme, Chief Secretary Eric Chan said the government would continue to steer Hong Kong towards sustained positive growth in the new year.
"In Chinese culture, the horse symbolises vitality, success, and opportunity. This echoes the government’s commitment in the New Year to continue leveraging the advantages of 'One Country, Two Systems' to consolidate the competitiveness of Hong Kong's 'golden brands' in finance, trade, shipping, and aviation,” he said.
“At the same time, we will continue to unite patriotic forces from all sectors of society, and pragmatically advance initiatives beneficial to the public."
Meanwhile, Financial Secretary Paul Chan noted that with the strong support of the country and the joint efforts of the...
Published February 19, 2026 5:27am
TORONTO, Canada - Canada introduced new immigration priority categories on Wednesday to bring in skilled workers in fields ranging from research and health care to aviation, and to include certain military recruits.
The new categories align with Prime Minister Mark Carney's goals of broadly reducing the number of new permanent residents in Canada while recruiting skilled workers and scholars and boosting defense capabilities to lessen dependence on the United States.
The government said the shift was aimed at restoring immigration to sustainable levels while finding workers for key industries. Canada's government in recent years has sought to reduce the number of immigrants to ease strains on housing and social services.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the 2026 changes to the...
