National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya has been appointed as the acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after Jim O’Neill stepped down earlier this week. Multiple news outlets, including The New York Times, reported Bhattacharya’s temporary appointment, citing White House and administration officials.
O’Neill had been serving as both the acting director of the CDC and deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His departure left a vacancy in leadership at the CDC, which oversees public health across the United States.
The CDC has faced scrutiny under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Last year, Susan Monarez was appointed as CDC director by the Trump administration but was dismissed after 28 days. Monarez was the first senate-confirmed leader of the agency. She later stated that she had been pressured by Kennedy to pre-approve recommendations from the center’s vaccines advisory panel.
Bhattacharya has played a significant role in recent changes to vaccine policies at the CDC. He was involved in efforts led by Kennedy to change vaccine recommendations, including a decision in May to withdraw guidance that healthy children and healthy pregnant women should receive COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, Bhattacharya was selected to head the revived Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines.
According to Politico, O’Neill is expected to take up a position at the National Science Foundation.
