• More than 750 HHS employees request Health Secretary RFK Jr. stop spreading misinformation.
• The letter cites dangerous rhetoric that contributed to a recent violent attack at the CDC.
• Staff accuse Kennedy of dismantling public health trust and jeopardizing safety.
• The gunman in the CDC shooting blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for personal grievances.
• Former CDC leaders have also joined in criticizing Kennedy's actions and policies.

Over 750 current and former employees from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have signed an open letter imploring Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop spreading "inaccurate health information." This appeal comes two weeks after a gunman fired approximately 200 rounds into the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, killing a police officer in the process. The letter specifically states that such "dangerous and deceitful statements and actions" have contributed to the recent violence against public health officials, representing a significant threat to their safety, according to ABC News, BBC, Al Jazeera, and India Times.

The open letter characterizes Kennedy as "complicit in dismantling America's public health infrastructure" and warns that his rhetoric is eroding public trust necessary for effective health responses. The signatories accuse him of sowing public mistrust through repeated dissemination of false health claims during his tenure, particularly regarding vaccines and their efficacy against diseases. This situation is exacerbated, they argue, by the high-profile attack on the CDC, which authorities linked to the gunman's expressed grievances over the COVID-19 vaccine, as detailed by ABC News, BBC, and India Times.

In response to the shooting, Kennedy asserted that "no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others," yet the letter also emphasizes the urgent need for his administration to affirm the scientific integrity of the CDC. The letter outlines specific demands, including a call for Kennedy to guarantee the safety of the HHS workforce and to refrain from further spreading misleading statements about public health. This development is underscored by ongoing tensions surrounding Kennedy's previous comments labeling the CDC a "cesspool of corruption," according to Al Jazeera and India Times.

The signers of the letter, many of whom work or have worked at the CDC and NIH, have raised concerns about Kennedy's approach to vaccine policy and staffing cuts, which they argue are weakening America's public health capabilities at a precarious time. Former CDC director William Foege has been vocally critical of Kennedy, warning in a recent article that "Kennedy’s words can be as lethal as the smallpox virus," highlighting the potentially catastrophic consequences of misinformation, as reported by Al Jazeera and India Times.