CDC virus expert quits after RFK Jr. purges vaccine advisers
Fiona Havers, a scientist in charge of Covid-19 and RSV data at the Centers for Disease Control, resigned on Monday after 13 years with the agency.
Havers stated she no longer trusts that the CDC, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will use the data objectively or with scientific rigor for vaccine policy decisions.
Havers highlighted her work in presenting data at Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings since 2020, which informed decisions on vaccine messaging and disease tracking.
Kennedy recently removed and replaced all 17 members of the ACIP, stating the move was to restore public trust and ensure evidence-based medicine, but replaced them with individuals critical of vaccines.
Havers' resignation follows those of other CDC vaccine advisors, including Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos and Melinda Wharton.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rhyl Journal
14 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
MP claims assisted dying could be ‘trojan horse that breaks the NHS'
It is expected MPs will have a vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, which could see it either progress to the House of Lords or fall. It will be the first time the Bill has been voted on in its entirety since November's historic yes vote, when MPs supported the principle of assisted dying for England and Wales by a majority of 55. While supporters of the Bill say it is coming back to the Commons with better safeguards after more than 90 hours of parliamentary time spent on it to date, opponents claim the process has been rushed and that the Bill is now weaker than it was when first introduced last year. A key change was the replacing of a High Court judge requirement for sign-off of applications from terminally ill people, with a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and the three-member panel. While the Bill has the backing of some MPs from medical backgrounds, concerns have also been raised by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists. Disability campaigners have voiced worries about coercion and how vulnerable people could be caught up in any new law, although the proposed legislation is supported by MP and disability rights advocate Marie Tidball as well as former director of public prosecutions Sir Max Hill. On Tuesday, Mr Streeting confirmed no money has yet been allocated for the setting up of an assisted dying service and reiterated the Government is neutral on the Bill. Mr Streeting voted no last year and has since indicated he remains opposed to the Bill. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill and any amendments, meaning they decide according to their conscience rather than along party lines. He was asked by Labour MP Katrina Murray, who also voted no in November, whether the NHS has the money to fund assisted dying on top of its other priorities. She said: 'If passed, the assisted dying Bill would make thousands of terminally ill people every year eligible to end their lives on the NHS. 'Does our health service have the money to fund this service as well as its priority of bringing down waiting lists?' Mr Streeting responded: 'Of course, the Government is neutral (on assisted dying). It's for the House to decide. 'There isn't money allocated to set up the service in the Bill at present, but it's for members of this House and the Lords, should the Bill proceed, to decide whether or not to proceed and that's a decision that this Government will respect either way.' Mr Streeting said last year that there were 'choices and trade-offs', adding 'any new service comes at the expense of other competing pressures and priorities'. Dame Siobhain McDonagh, fellow Labour MP who is also opposed to the Bill, claimed an assisted dying service could 'rob our stretched NHS of much needed resources'. She said: 'When asked today in the House of Commons the Secretary of State for Health made clear to MPs that there is no money allocated to the NHS to fund the assisted dying Bill. 'It's now clear that the assisted dying Bill will rob our stretched NHS of much needed resources and could become the trojan horse that breaks the NHS, the proudest institution and the proudest measure in our Labour Party's history. 'We already know from the impact assessment that this new system could cost tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds making our mission to cut waiting times and rebuild our NHS harder. 'I urge Labour MPs not to vote for the assisted dying Bill to protect the vulnerable and our NHS.' An impact assessment published by the Government last month estimated that the establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and the three-member expert panels would cost an average of between £10.9 million and £13.6 million per year, although overall implementation costs of a service were not possible to work out yet. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years. Bill sponsor Kim Leadbeater has said the proposed legislation is about giving dying people choice at the end of their lives, saying it is 'about the human cost' and 'not about pounds and pence'. She has described her Bill as the 'most robust piece of legislation in this area in the world'. Dozens of Labour MPs called for Friday's overall vote to be delayed, asking Commons Leader Lucy Powell for more time to scrutinise a Bill they say is 'perhaps the most consequential piece of legislation that has appeared before the House in generations'. But a Government spokesperson pointed out that it is a Private Members' Bill and 'the amount of time for debate is therefore a matter for the House'.
Rhyl Journal
15 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
NHS has ‘culture of cover-up' over failures, Health Secretary says
He told MPs there is 'too much of that happening' in the NHS, and that reputations are protected instead of patients being told the truth. The minister's comments came after Labour MP Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) told him about the experience of a woman in his constituency who suffered from nerve damage after a hip operation, but was told her pain was 'common'. Mr Moon said: 'A couple of weeks ago at my constituency surgery, through the tears, my constituent Amy explained how, following a hip operation in 2008, she suffered progressive nerve damage due to repeated failures in diagnosis, referral and treatment. 'Despite raising concerns for years, she was told her pain was common. 'A nerve test in 2015 confirmed damage and further tests last year showed a significant deterioration. After 17 years, she's only now been offered surgery. 'All Amy wants to know is what steps are being taken to ensure that no other patient is left permanently disabled due to such long and systemic failures.' Responding, Mr Streeting said: 'Can I first of all, on behalf of the NHS, apologise to his constituent. 'That is a totally intolerable situation, but sadly not rare or exceptional. 'There's too much of that happening and a culture of cover-up and covering reputations, rather than being honest with patients about failures. 'We are changing the culture, safety is at the heart of the 10-year plan, and I'd be delighted to talk to him further about his constituent's case.' Elsewhere during health and social care oral questions on Tuesday, the Government was challenged on the difficulties that pharmacies are facing. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden (South Devon) told MPs the 'current funding model doesn't take into account the lower footfall and the limited referral rates that are common in rural areas'. She said: 'If a pharmacy in a small market town closes, it can cause extreme difficulties for people to access advice and medicines, particularly where there is little or no public transport and they have to go a long way.' Conservative shadow health minister Dr Luke Evans raised the cap on funded consultation appointments that pharmacies can schedule through the Pharmacy First Scheme. He said: 'Once they hit that cap, they are no longer paid the £17 per consultation. 'That, in turn, may mean patients will either be turned away or the pharmacist has to take the hit and has to pay for it themselves.' Care minister Stephen Kinnock replied: 'The pharmacy sector is facing huge challenges after massive cuts over the last 14 years. We're beginning to rebuild, but there are particular challenges for rural pharmacies. 'We are looking at comprehensive reform in the pharmacy sector around better use of technology, hub-and-spoke dispensing and a range of other options which would enable better remote dispensing for rural pharmacies.' He told Dr Evans that the 'record uplift' of £3.1 billion for the pharmacy sector was coming in 'after years of underfunding, incompetence and neglect' from the Conservatives, and that the allocation of funding will be looked at in their reforms.
Western Telegraph
16 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
MP claims assisted dying could be ‘trojan horse that breaks the NHS'
It is expected MPs will have a vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, which could see it either progress to the House of Lords or fall. It will be the first time the Bill has been voted on in its entirety since November's historic yes vote, when MPs supported the principle of assisted dying for England and Wales by a majority of 55. While supporters of the Bill say it is coming back to the Commons with better safeguards after more than 90 hours of parliamentary time spent on it to date, opponents claim the process has been rushed and that the Bill is now weaker than it was when first introduced last year. A key change was the replacing of a High Court judge requirement for sign-off of applications from terminally ill people, with a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and the three-member panel. While the Bill has the backing of some MPs from medical backgrounds, concerns have also been raised by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists. Disability campaigners have voiced worries about coercion and how vulnerable people could be caught up in any new law, although the proposed legislation is supported by MP and disability rights advocate Marie Tidball as well as former director of public prosecutions Sir Max Hill. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has stated his personal opposition to the Bill (Lucy North/PA) On Tuesday, Mr Streeting confirmed no money has yet been allocated for the setting up of an assisted dying service and reiterated the Government is neutral on the Bill. Mr Streeting voted no last year and has since indicated he remains opposed to the Bill. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill and any amendments, meaning they decide according to their conscience rather than along party lines. He was asked by Labour MP Katrina Murray, who also voted no in November, whether the NHS has the money to fund assisted dying on top of its other priorities. She said: 'If passed, the assisted dying Bill would make thousands of terminally ill people every year eligible to end their lives on the NHS. 'Does our health service have the money to fund this service as well as its priority of bringing down waiting lists?' Mr Streeting responded: 'Of course, the Government is neutral (on assisted dying). It's for the House to decide. 'There isn't money allocated to set up the service in the Bill at present, but it's for members of this House and the Lords, should the Bill proceed, to decide whether or not to proceed and that's a decision that this Government will respect either way.' Mr Streeting said last year that there were 'choices and trade-offs', adding 'any new service comes at the expense of other competing pressures and priorities'. Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is the sponsor of the Bill (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Dame Siobhain McDonagh, fellow Labour MP who is also opposed to the Bill, claimed an assisted dying service could 'rob our stretched NHS of much needed resources'. She said: 'When asked today in the House of Commons the Secretary of State for Health made clear to MPs that there is no money allocated to the NHS to fund the assisted dying Bill. 'It's now clear that the assisted dying Bill will rob our stretched NHS of much needed resources and could become the trojan horse that breaks the NHS, the proudest institution and the proudest measure in our Labour Party's history. 'We already know from the impact assessment that this new system could cost tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds making our mission to cut waiting times and rebuild our NHS harder. 'I urge Labour MPs not to vote for the assisted dying Bill to protect the vulnerable and our NHS.' An impact assessment published by the Government last month estimated that the establishment of a Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner and the three-member expert panels would cost an average of between £10.9 million and £13.6 million per year, although overall implementation costs of a service were not possible to work out yet. While noting that cutting end-of-life care costs 'is not stated as an objective of the policy', the assessment estimated that such costs could be reduced by as much as an estimated £10 million in the first year and almost £60 million after 10 years. Campaigners gathered in Parliament Square earlier this month (James Manning/PA) Bill sponsor Kim Leadbeater has said the proposed legislation is about giving dying people choice at the end of their lives, saying it is 'about the human cost' and 'not about pounds and pence'. She has described her Bill as the 'most robust piece of legislation in this area in the world'. Dozens of Labour MPs called for Friday's overall vote to be delayed, asking Commons Leader Lucy Powell for more time to scrutinise a Bill they say is 'perhaps the most consequential piece of legislation that has appeared before the House in generations'. But a Government spokesperson pointed out that it is a Private Members' Bill and 'the amount of time for debate is therefore a matter for the House'.
