Cyclospora outbreak tests RFK Jr.'s promise to overhaul food system, rebuild trust in CDC
A massive multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic foodborne illness, is testing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to overhaul the U.S. food system and restore public trust in agencies like the CDC. At least 7,000 people have been sickened in Michigan alone, with official CDC counts lagging at nearly 4,200 cases. The FDA and CDC initially identified shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms as the likely source, but later retracted a positive test result as a false positive, creating confusion. Experts say the response highlights chronic underfunding of food safety at the FDA and CDC, exacerbated by recent Trump administration cuts to key investigative and public communication staff. Kennedy has defended the response as 'under control,' but former officials and food safety experts argue the system is overstrained and underprepared.
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