Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will stay on as acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while the White House searches for a permanent director. The CDC has experienced leadership instability since President Trump dismissed Director Susan Monarez last August over disagreements about vaccine policy changes.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will remain in his role as acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while the White House continues its search for a permanent director, according to a health department official who spoke Wednesday.
The nation’s top public health agency has experienced significant leadership turnover since President Donald Trump dismissed Director Susan Monarez last August following her resistance to vaccine policy modifications proposed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Jim O’Neill, who served as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, initially took over before being succeeded by Bhattacharya, the former National Institutes of Health Director, this past February.
“Dr. Bhattacharya will continue to oversee the CDC by performing the delegable duties of the CDC director,” the health department official stated. The spokesperson noted that Kennedy is collaborating with HHS chief counselor Chris Klomp and White House officials to identify candidates for the permanent position.
According to recent Washington Post reporting, approximately six individuals are under consideration for the director role, including former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher, Mississippi’s state health director Daniel Edney, and cardiologist Joseph Marine.
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