Erica Schwartz confirmed as new CDC chief amid US agency turmoil

What the report says

The US Senate has confirmed Dr Erica Schwartz as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Al Jazeera’s reporting, giving the agency its first confirmed leader since the Trump administration removed Susan Monarez over vaccine policy disputes. Schwartz was approved in a 51-44 vote on Wednesday and is expected to take charge of an agency that has been shaken by low morale, resignations and political pressure.

Al Jazeera reported that Schwartz’s confirmation had faced uncertainty during the process, with senators questioning whether she would base decisions on scientific evidence or follow White House demands. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy initially raised concerns during a July hearing, though he later said he was more confident after speaking with her. Schwartz, who is 54, holds both medical and law degrees and previously served as deputy surgeon general.

The CDC is entering this transition while facing major public health problems, including a measles resurgence, declining childhood vaccination rates and a cyclospora outbreak. Al Jazeera also reported that roughly 3,000 CDC employees have left through layoffs and resignations, with many frustrated by vaccine policies associated with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Public health groups said the agency needs stable, science-based leadership as it confronts these challenges. More broadly, the confirmation underscores how sharply public health policy has become entangled with political conflict in Washington.