August 28, 2025
Contact: Erin Hemlin, APG Vice President of Communications
erin.hemlin@apg.org; Tel: 202-770-1901
WASHINGTON — America’s Physician Groups is shocked and dismayed by the attempted ouster of Susan Monarez, MD, as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coming on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration’s misguided decision earlier this week to narrow indications for authorized COVID-19 vaccines.
News accounts suggest that Dr. Monarez, who was confirmed in her position just last month by the U.S. Senate, is now being forced out because she has refused to endorse the FDA’s ill-advised decision on COVID-19 vaccines and to fire other top CDC leaders. APG applauds her and her CDC colleagues for standing by the science, which as the Infectious Diseases Society of America has noted, “continues to strongly support broad vaccination” for healthy children, adults, pregnant patients, and those at higher risk. Broad vaccination against COVID-19 is consistent with APG’s previously issued statement on vaccines, which said the following:
An essential pillar of high value care is delivering evidence-based preventive care and services that are proven to reduce the burden of illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccines are the epitome of value-based care: They prevent illness or the most serious forms of illness; reduce the burden of disease; are cost-effective; and save lives.
APG is further concerned that a working group of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice will conduct a review of COVID-19 vaccines that will be led by an ACIP member opposed to the vaccines. In the meantime, APG is gratified that the nation’s health insurers and plan sponsors are committed to making coverage decisions “informed by science, the latest medical evidence and data” and through an evidence-based process “informed by customer needs,” according to a statement that the health insurers’ group AHIP provided today.
APG looks forward to working with all colleagues who aim to keep science front and center in health care and public health, and to oppose all efforts to place Americans’ health in unnecessary and avoidable jeopardy.
About America’s Physician Groups
APG’s approximately 340 physician groups comprise 260,000 physicians and other clinicians providing care to nearly 90 million patients, including an estimated 1 in 4 Americans and 1 in 3 Medicare Advantage enrollees. APG’s motto, ‘Taking Responsibility for America’s Health,’ represents our members’ commitment to clinically integrated, coordinated, value-based health care in which physician groups are accountable for the costs and quality of patient care. Visit us at www.apg.org.
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