HomeTechnologyTrump picks qualified, normal health leader to head CDC; experts still cautious

Trump picks qualified, normal health leader to head CDC; experts still cautious

TechnologyApril 17, 2026
1 min read
Trump picks qualified, normal health leader to head CDC; experts still cautious
She's well qualified but will need to navigate RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine agenda.

President Trump on Thursday announced his third nominee for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dr. Erica Schwartz, a well-qualified former public health official and board-certified physician in preventive medicine, who has publicly supported vaccination and followed evidence-based medicine.

The uncontroversial pick comes amid concern within the administration that the aggressive anti-vaccine agenda from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—who has no medical, science, or public health background—has become a liability for the party in the lead up to the midterms.

Schwartz was deputy surgeon general in Trump's first administration. She spent much of her career as a Navy officer, held the role of Chief Medical Officer with the US Coast Guard, and is a retired rear admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She has a medical degree from Brown University, a master's degree in public health, and a law degree from the University of Maryland. During the pandemic, she was involved in the federal rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

Read full article

Comments

Source: Ars Technica

Share this article

Related Articles

The AirPods are Tim Cook’s most underrated achievement
2026Apr 21

The AirPods are Tim Cook’s most underrated achievement

Apple Silicon chips. The iPhone's dominance. Apple Vision Pro. During Tim Cook's 15-year tenure as Apple CEO there were highs - and in the case of the Vision Pro, maybe a low - that helped define Appl

Article1 min read
Read More
Framework’s first eGPUs turn its laptop into a desktop PC
2026Apr 21

Framework’s first eGPUs turn its laptop into a desktop PC

Remember when Framework made the first laptop where you can easily upgrade its entire internal video card in three minutes flat? The company's getting into the external graphics game, too. As promised

Article1 min read
Read More