The Undermining of the C.D.C. – The New Yorker

Report on the Political Undermining of Public Health Institutions and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

This report analyzes the recent political interference within the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) and the broader implications for public health, scientific integrity, and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Institutional Integrity and Public Health Policy

Case Study: Politicization of Vaccine Information at the C.D.C.

Recent actions directed by the Department of Health and Human Services have compromised the scientific integrity of the C.D.C. This interference directly challenges progress toward SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by eroding public trust in essential health services.

• The C.D.C.’s official guidance on vaccines and autism was altered to include a caveat suggesting the link has been “ignored by health authorities,” a position contrary to overwhelming scientific consensus.
• This change was reportedly made under the direction of political appointees with a history of vaccine skepticism.
• The justification for this alteration relies on non-rigorous data, such as surveys of parents who embrace alternative medicine, while disregarding dozens of large-scale scientific studies.
• Medical and scientific bodies, including the American Medical Association and the Autism Science Foundation, have condemned this action, warning of dangerous public health consequences.

Systemic Erosion of Scientific Independence

The incident at the C.D.C. is indicative of a wider pattern of political interference in scientific bodies, which threatens the foundational principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Effective and accountable institutions rely on objective, evidence-based information, a standard now being actively undermined.

1. Government scientists with views on nutrition and climate change that conflict with the administration’s agenda have been dismissed or silenced.
2. Funding for critical data collection, including surveys on food insecurity and global health, has been cancelled, impeding progress monitoring for multiple SDGs.
3. Independent scientific advisory committees focusing on air pollution, health-care disparities, and hospital infections have been dismissed.
4. Support for vital vaccine research has been withdrawn.

Impact Assessment on Sustainable Development Goals

Direct Threats to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The primary impact of these actions is the direct threat to public health outcomes. The undermining of vaccine confidence jeopardizes Target 3.3, which aims to end the epidemics of communicable diseases, and Target 3.8, which calls for access to safe, effective, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines.

• Weakened Pandemic Preparedness: A proposed shift in pandemic strategy de-emphasizes the development of vaccines and therapeutics in favor of promoting general healthy habits. While beneficial, this approach is insufficient and ignores the fact that novel pathogens can severely affect healthy populations, as seen in past influenza outbreaks. This undermines global health security.
• Erosion of Public Trust: The dissemination of scientifically unfounded information from a premier public health agency confuses the public and fosters distrust in proven health interventions like vaccination.

Compromising SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The integrity of public institutions is a cornerstone of sustainable development. Political interference transforms these bodies from objective, evidence-based resources into tools of political ideology, directly contravening Target 16.6, which calls for the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

• The C.D.C.’s credibility is diminished on both a national and global scale, weakening its ability to lead during public health crises.
• This politicization sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that scientific fact is subordinate to political will, a characteristic of authoritarian governance rather than a functional democracy. The historical parallel of Trofim Lysenko’s pseudoscience in the Soviet Union serves as a stark warning of the potential for famine, misery, and death when evidence is suppressed.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The sustained political interference in the C.D.C. and other scientific bodies represents a significant setback for public health and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 and SDG 16. Protecting the autonomy of these institutions is not merely an academic concern but a prerequisite for national health, security, and sustainable development.

Pathways to Restoring Institutional Integrity

1. Uphold Scientific Independence: Safeguards must be implemented to protect scientific agencies from political interference, ensuring that public health guidance is based on verifiable, peer-reviewed evidence.
2. Promote Evidence-Based Policy: Governance must recommit to a culture of evidence-based decision-making, restoring the role of independent science in informing public policy.
3. Strengthen Global Partnerships: Re-engage with and restore funding for global health initiatives, recognizing that disease knows no borders and international cooperation is essential for achieving SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
4. Enhance Public Scientific Literacy: Counteracting misinformation requires a concerted effort to improve public education and communication, reinforcing the value of the scientific method, which aligns with the aims of SDG 4 (Quality Education).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article’s primary focus is on public health, particularly the integrity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) and the dissemination of accurate information about vaccines.
• It discusses the importance of vaccination in preventing communicable diseases and critiques the political interference that promotes misinformation linking vaccines to autism.
• The text also addresses broader health strategies, including pandemic preparedness, the role of biotechnology like mRNA vaccines, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• A central theme is the undermining of a key public institution, the C.D.C., through political interference. The article states that recent events put “to rest any doubts about whether Americans can still trust information from the nation’s top health agency.”
• It highlights a breakdown in accountable and transparent governance, where scientific evidence is disregarded in favor of political agendas, as seen in the firing of government scientists and the dismissal of independent health committees.
• The article discusses the importance of public access to reliable information, which is being compromised by the C.D.C.’s altered stance on vaccine safety.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including… access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. The article directly relates to this target by detailing how political actions are undermining public confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, a cornerstone of public health. The C.D.C.’s new stance, which questions the established science on vaccines and autism, threatens the goal of ensuring access to and acceptance of quality vaccines.
2. Target 3.b: Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines… The article explicitly mentions that the administration has “pulled support for research into vaccines.” This action is in direct opposition to the goal of supporting R&D for essential medicines and public health technologies.
3. Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity of all countries… for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. The debate on pandemic preparedness is central to this target. The article criticizes the new N.I.H. leadership’s proposal to focus solely on healthy habits rather than “identifying dangerous pathogens or by developing vaccines and medications,” arguing that this approach ignores the “unpredictability of pathogens” and weakens the nation’s capacity to manage global health risks like influenza and Ebola.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The article’s title, “The Undermining of the C.D.C.,” encapsulates the core issue. It describes how the C.D.C., a critical public health institution, is being made less effective and accountable by political appointees who disregard scientific consensus. The use of “doublespeak” by the Department of Health and Human Services further illustrates a lack of transparency.
2. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The article provides examples of non-responsive decision-making, such as the appointment of a “physician with a history of vaccine skepticism as the second-in-command at the C.D.C.” and the dismissal of “independent committees focussed on air pollution, health-care disparities, and hospital infections.” These actions sideline expert and scientific input in favor of a narrow political agenda.
3. Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information… This target is directly compromised when the C.D.C. alters its website to state that the link between vaccines and autism is “not an evidence-based claim.” This act manipulates public information and erodes the public’s ability to access scientifically accurate health guidance. The article also notes the administration has “fired or muzzled government scientists with disfavored views,” further restricting the flow of information.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Public trust in vaccines and health authorities: The article implies this is a key metric. The statement that the C.D.C.’s credibility is in question and the citation of a belief that “about half of parents of children with autism believe vaccines contributed to that autism” serve as qualitative indicators of declining public trust, which directly impacts vaccination rates (relevant to Target 3.8).
2. Government funding for public health research: The article explicitly mentions the administration has “cancelled funding for long-running surveys on food insecurity and global health” and “pulled support for research into vaccines.” The level of federal funding allocated to agencies like the N.I.H. and C.D.C. for vaccine research and pandemic preparedness is a direct, quantifiable indicator for Target 3.b.
3. Incidence of communicable diseases: The article mentions a “surge in cases” of the H3N2 influenza virus. Tracking the incidence rates of vaccine-preventable diseases and other infectious outbreaks serves as a direct indicator of a country’s capacity to manage health risks (Target 3.d).

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Public trust in government institutions: The article directly implies a decline in this indicator, stating that Americans can no longer “trust information from the nation’s top health agency.” This could be measured through public opinion surveys on the trustworthiness of institutions like the C.D.C. and H.H.S. (relevant to Target 16.6).
2. Scientific integrity in government publications: An indicator is the accuracy and evidence basis of information on official government websites. The article’s primary example—the C.D.C. adding an “asterisk” and misleading claims to its page on vaccine safety—is a negative data point for this indicator, showing a departure from evidence-based communication (relevant to Target 16.10).
3. Political independence of scientific advisory bodies: The article mentions the dismissal of “independent committees focussed on air pollution, health-care disparities, and hospital infections.” The number of independent scientific committees disbanded or having their advice ignored by political leadership can serve as an indicator of non-responsive and non-inclusive decision-making (relevant to Target 16.7).

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newyorker.com