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The United States Senate has confirmed Dr Erica Schwartz as the new head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as the federal health agency struggles with low morale and mass resignations since President Donald Trump’s return to office.
The Senate confirmed Schwartz in a 51-44 vote on Wednesday, making the 54-year-old the agency’s first confirmed director since the Trump administration fired Susan Monarez last year over disputes regarding vaccine policy.
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“With all the turmoil of the past two years, the CDC desperately needs stability, experienced leadership and a steadfast commitment to science,” Dr Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association said in a statement Wednesday.
Schwartz’s confirmation previously appeared in doubt as lawmakers questioned whether she would operate the agency based on scientific information or the demands of the president.
During a hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions last month, Republican Bill Cassidy questioned whether Schwartz would remain firm if pressured by the administration.
Cassidy later seemed to change his mind, stating that he had spoken with Schwartz and gained more confidence in her.
Layoffs and resignations at the CDC have resulted in the loss of about 3,000 workers, many of whom expressed frustration with vaccine policies promoted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr that fly in the face of longstanding scientific and public health consensus.
Schwartz was Trump’s third nominee for the position in just 18 months, and public health experts have expressed cautious optimism that she would bring a qualified background to the troubled agency.
She has medical and law degrees and previously served as deputy surgeon general, but will face considerable problems at the agency as the US experiences the worst Measles resurgence in three decades, falling childhood vaccination rates, and a cyclospora outbreak.
“Now, Dr Schwartz needs to prove that her leadership will serve science and not the whims of politicians. CDC needs a Director who will protect public health workers, defend evidence-based guidance, and refuse any directive that would undermine public safety,” the National Public Health Coalition, an organisation of former and current CDC workers, said in a statement on Wednesday.
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