Country's Top Vaccine Official Resigns, Cites RFK Jr.'s 'Misinformation and Lies' 

Dr. Peter Marks Resigns in Protest Over RFK Jr.

Dr. Peter Marks, a leading vaccine regulator at the FDA, abruptly resigned Friday, March 28, after reportedly being given an ultimatum: resign or be terminated, The Daily Beast reported.
Marks, who was instrumental in COVID-19 vaccine efforts under President Donald Trump's administration, submitted a sharply critical resignation letter targeting newly appointed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic. 
In his letter to acting FDA Commissioner Sara Brenner, Marks wrote, "It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies." 
He added, "My hope is that during the coming years, the unprecedented assault on scientific truth that has adversely impacted public health in our nation comes to an end."
Here are four more things to know about Marks' detailed letter. 
MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news

HHS Responds, Defends Kennedy's Leadership

In response to Peter Marks' departure, a spokesperson for HHS issued a pointed statement: "If Peter Marks does not want to get behind restoring science to its golden standard and promoting radical transparency, then he has no place at [the] FDA under the strong leadership of Secretary Kennedy." 
Marks had led the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research since 2016 and played a crucial part in the launch of Operation Warp Speed, although he stepped away early to focus on regulatory work. 
His resignation follows those of two other senior FDA officials this year: Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni and Jim Jones.

RFK Jr.'s Controversial Tenure at HHS

Since assuming the role of HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy has drawn widespread criticism for his approach to vaccines and public health. He appointed a well-known vaccine skeptic as a senior data analyst and paused multiple vaccine-related contracts. 
Kennedy described immunization as a "personal decision," and referred to a rising measles outbreak as "not unusual," though he later revised that stance, saying the outbreak was a "priority" for his agency. 
In the first three months of 2025 alone, 483 measles cases have been reported — already surpassing the 285 cases recorded in all of 2024.

Fluoride and Staffing Cuts

Robert Kennedy's broader agenda has included controversial public health decisions beyond vaccines. In November 2024, he claimed then-former President Donald Trump would remove fluoride from U.S. drinking water if re-elected. 
This week, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public systems — a move opposed by many health experts. 
On Thursday, March 27, Kennedy unveiled plans to eliminate 10,000 full-time roles across HHS departments involved in outbreak response, drug regulation and insurance oversight. 
This comes on top of 10,000 voluntary departures already this year, shrinking the agency from 82,000 to 62,000 staff.

Kennedy Defends His Restructuring Strategy

In a press release that same day, Robert Kennedy framed the staffing reductions and policy overhaul as part of a broader mission to refocus the department's work. 
"We aren't just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic," he said. "This Department will do more — a lot more — at a lower cost to the taxpayer." 
While supporters say the changes reflect a push for efficiency, critics argue the moves represent an erosion of public health infrastructure at a time of rising disease threats and scientific uncertainty.