(From The Hill)

Concerns about the inner workings of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been mounting in recent months amid disclosures of cozy corporate alliances. Now a group of more than a dozen senior scientists have reportedly lodged an ethics complaint alleging the federal agency is being influenced by corporate and political interests in ways that shortchange taxpayers.

(Kennedy continues)

The group, which claimed to represent scientists across the CDC's diverse branches, calls itself SPIDER (Scientists Preserving Integrity, Diligence and Ethics in Research). The letter to CDC Chief of Staff, Carmen Villar, expressed alarm "about the current state of ethics at our agency." The scientists complained that "our mission is being influenced and shaped by outside parties and rogue interests" and "circumvented by some of our leaders."

Kennedy writes about the reality of a federal agency owned and operated by the industry they’re supposed to regulate.He quotes the CDC’s own scientists saying things like:

‘Our mission is being influenced and shaped by outside parties and rogue interests’ and ‘circumvented by some of our leaders.’

‘…questionable and unethical practices, occurring at all levels and in all of our respective units, threaten to undermine our credibility and reputation as a trusted leader in public health.’

 ‘Senior management officials at CDC are clearly aware and even condone these behaviors.’

‘We are often directed to do things we know are not right.’

The really scary thing about Kennedy’s article is that the corruption is not just about sugar in soft drinks, or even the despicable MMR/autism study fraud. It’s massive. There is nothing this agency does that can be trusted, despite the continual free pass the mainstream media gives any scientific finding from the CDC.

Kennedy sums things up quite well when he writes about“the culture of deep-rooted scientific corruption that has metastasized across CDC and become the subject of a decade- long parade of investigations.”

“Given this long history of deeply entrenched scientific chicanery at the CDC, it's no surprise that scientists are now complaining. If Donald Trump is sincere about his promise to ‘Drain the Swamp’ in the federal bureaucracy, he should begin by appointing an honest and able CDC director who can restore transparency, credibility, robust science and regulatory independence at the agency and who will turn around the culture of corruption that has been so damaging to children's health.”

As parents, we've watched years of endless congressional hearings where CDC officials are called to Washington, cited for egregious malfeasance, allowed to deny anything is wrong, and then incredibly, they're sent back to continue their dishonest practices. Right now there is now cautious optimism that THINGS CAN CHANGE. Officials will be held accountable.

Thank you to Bobby Kennedy for exposing just how bad things are in Atlanta. It’s time to ‘drain the swamp’ and end the ‘culture of corruption’ at the agency that has long had oversight over itself and been answerable to no one.

Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.