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DR. DEMETRE DASKALAKIS, HEAD OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR IMMUNIZATION AND
RESPIRATORY DISEASES, RESIGNS IN FIERY SOCIAL MEDIA POST  
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Dr. Demetre Daskalakis
August 28, 2025
DrDemetre

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_ "I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool
to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific
reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s
health." _

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Image credit - them

 

Dear Dr. Houry,

I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28,
2025, close of business.   I am happy to stay on for two weeks to
provide transition, if requested.

This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the
CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my
contributions to that critical mission. However, after much
contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives
brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the
views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in
my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the
American people. Enough is enough.

While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I
believe that it is imperative to align my professional
responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the
science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the
American people.  This step is necessary to ensure that I can
contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to
my principles.

I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to
generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality
and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.
 The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization
schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant
people.   The data analyses that supported this decision have never
been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other
leadership.  This lack of meaningful engagement was further
compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to
support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without
input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did
not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors.
 Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have
never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such
unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than
the good of the American people.

It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the
opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health
importance released under the moniker of CDC.  The lack of
communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that
culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes
without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication
channels and common sense.  Having to retrofit analyses and policy
actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly
scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations
responsible for the health of people should function.  Some examples
include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations
for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP
by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these
valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before
onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of
reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career
staff at CDC.

The recent term of reference for the COVID vaccine work group created
by this ACIP puts people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific
rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy to a director hamstrung
and sidelined by an authoritarian leader.   Their desire to please a
political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable
children and adults.  Their base should be the people they serve not
a political voting bloc.

I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health
dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again.
 I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the
Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the
highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season.  Such
briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support
the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.”  We are seven
months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert
from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary.  I am not sure who the
Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us.
 Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources
HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable
sources.  At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should
not take medical advice from him.  To the contrary, an appropriately
briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health
information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree
with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate
information.

The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural
infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era
where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer.
 I believe in nutrition and exercise.  I believe in making our food
supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent
death and disability.  Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric
being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and
science should continue to shun.

The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning.  My
grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in
Greece and lost his life doing so.  I am resigning to make him and
his legacy proud.   I am resigning because of the cowardice of a
leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over
decades created an environment where violence like this can occur.  I
reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they
direct those to people that they have not actively harmed.

For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when
it comes to critical health topics.  I must also cite the
recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase
transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV
programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of
my decision.

Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it
is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The
nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people
focusing on ideological self-interest.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for
growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during
my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such
dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and
well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack
from within both physically and psychologically.

Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from
you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC
continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its
dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an
institution.  If they continue the current path, they risk our
personal well-being and the security of the United States.

Sincerely,

Demetre C. Daskalakis MD MPH (he/his/him)
 

* Dr Demetre Daskalakis
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