NIH Director Bhattacharya to Temporarily Run CDC

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily lead the CDC amid a sweeping HHS restructuring. The move follows the departure of acting director Jim O'Neill.

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya has been tapped to temporarily take the helm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as acting director, according to multiple administration officials. Bhattacharya will continue to lead the NIH while serving in the dual leadership until President Donald Trump appoints a permanent CDC director, a position requiring Senate confirmation.

The appointment comes amid a broader leadership shake-up at the Department of Health and Human Services initiated by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the White House. Bhattacharya replaces Jim O’Neill, the HHS deputy secretary who had served as acting CDC director since last August. O’Neill left the department last Friday as part of a restructuring and will be nominated to lead the National Science Foundation.

The CDC has cycled through several leaders during Trump's second term. Dr. Susan Monarez was confirmed by the Senate in July but ousted less than a month later after clashing with Kennedy over vaccine policy changes. Monarez later testified she was fired for refusing to approve changes to the childhood vaccination schedule without supporting data.

Bhattacharya, a Stanford University physician and health economist, rose to prominence as a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which advocated ending COVID-19 lockdowns and focusing protection on vulnerable populations. While critical of past pandemic policies, he has expressed support for childhood vaccinations, stating at a recent Senate hearing that vaccinating children against measles is "the best way to address the measles epidemic." 

Public health experts note the logistical challenges of managing both agencies simultaneously, given their distinct missions and geographic separation NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, and CDC in Atlanta. The agencies have also faced significant staffing reductions and funding cuts under the current administration.