Trump nominates Dr. Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, for CDC director

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, former deputy U.S. surgeon general, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), highlighting her military medical background and previous service during his first term.
• Trump also announced appointments of Sean Slovenski as CDC chief operating officer, Dr. Jennifer Shuford as chief medical director, and Dr. Sara Brenner as senior counselor for public health under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• The CDC has been without a permanent director since August, following a series of leadership changes including the dismissal of former director Susan Monarez and interim directors Jim O’Neill and Jay Bhattacharya.
• Dr. Schwartz holds degrees in biomedical engineering, medicine, public health, and law, and would assume leadership amid ongoing controversies over vaccine policy changes implemented under Kennedy’s tenure.
• A federal judge recently blocked many of the CDC’s vaccine policy changes and the overhaul of the childhood vaccination schedule, with the agency yet to decide on an appeal.