Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, has been tapped as acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention following Jim O’Neill’s removal last week, according to multiple reports.
Dr. Bhattacharya will continue to run the NIH until President Trump appoints a permanent director, as reported by The New York Times.
The physician, medical economist and former professor left Stanford University to join the Trump administration, aiming to amplify the administration’s health agenda.
Dr. Bhattacharya has seen his share of criticism and popularity, being at the NIH helm during budget cuts and grant freezes. He co-wrote the Great Barrington Declaration during the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating to end lockdowns and let the virus spread among healthy young people to achieve herd immunity.
The CDC has not had a permanent leader since August. Mr. O’Neill had been the acting CDC director since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr ousted Senate-confirmed Susan Monarez after only a few weeks.
Mr. O’Neill exited the Health and Human Services Department on Friday at the behest of Mr. Kennedy and will move over to lead the National Science Foundation, according to reports.
This comes amid a series of leadership changes since Mr. Trump was elected for his second term in office.
Trump administration officials have described the restructuring as a way to “muscle up” ahead of this year’s midterm elections, as health policy is anticipated to be front and center.
Chris Klomp, deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, was appointed chief counselor to oversee all of the health department’s operations.
Mr. Kennedy also moved Kyle Diamantas and Grace Graham to senior counselors of the Food and Drug Administration.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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