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Senators Urge CDC and HHS to Address Racial Disparities in Monkeypox Virus Response

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Senators Edward J. Markey and Cory Booker, along with nine of their colleagues, have written a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to express their concerns about the racial disparities in the nation's response to the monkeypox virus (MPV) outbreak. The letter emphasizes the need for the agencies to collect and track data on racial disparities in MPV cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and vaccinations to address the disproportionate impact on Black and Latino Americans.

Key Takeaways:

  • The monkeypox virus is disproportionately affecting Black and Latino Americans, with 26% and 32% of MPV cases with known race and ethnicity information, respectively, as of the end of July.
  • Public health experts have expressed concern that white men are receiving a disproportionately higher share of the MPV vaccine nationally, undermining efforts to safeguard communities that are more susceptible and have less access to medical resources.
  • The CDC does not independently collect demographic data on MPV vaccine uptake, relying on state and local health departments that often fail to report or collect data.
  • The lack of racially and ethnically disaggregated data on diagnosis and treatment of MPV will exacerbate existing health disparities and result in the loss of lives in vulnerable communities.
  • The senators have cited limited state data that shows concerning trends in racial disparities in MPV cases and vaccine distribution in North Carolina, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Jersey.
  • The implementation of a rapid and efficient vaccination program is essential to containing and eradicating MPV in communities across the United States.
  • Collecting quality data is crucial to direct vaccination and testing in the proper directions.

Statistics:

  • As of the end of July, Black people made up 26% of MPV cases with known race and ethnicity information.
  • Latino people made up 32% of MPV cases with known race and ethnicity information.
  • In North Carolina, 70% of MPV cases are in Black men, but Black North Carolinians have received less than a quarter of the vaccinations so far.
  • In Chicago, only 18% of MPV vaccines went to Black or Latino Chicagoans, despite 59% of the population being Black or Latino.
  • In the Atlanta metro area, at least 54% of doses have gone to white people, despite the overwhelming majority of cases being among Black people.
  • In New Jersey, white people have received a disproportionate share of the vaccines, compared to the number of infected individuals.

Sources:

  • Letter to the Honorable Xavier Becerra and Director Rochelle Walensky, August 25, 2022, from Senator Cory Booker and nine colleagues.
  • North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services report, August 10, 2022.
  • Chicago Department of Public Health data.
  • Atlanta metro area health department data.
  • New Jersey Department of Health data.
  • https://www.booker.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_on_monkeypox_racial_disparities.pdf
  • https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-joins-senator-booker-colleagues-in-urging-cdc-and-hhs-to-monitor-and-address-racial-disparities-in-monkeypox-virus-response

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