CDC’s new director is pressed to do something about its zombie programs
NEW YORK (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still has an Alzheimer’s disease program. Congress appropriated $41 million to it this year. There’s just no one staffing it. Then there’s the agency’s…
Dr. Erica Schwartz assumes the role of the CDC's new director, inheriting a list of zombie programs that have been left idle or underutilized since the Trump administration's layoffs. These programs include the Alzheimer's disease project, the Office on Smoking and Health, the epilepsy program, and the sickle cell disease data collection unit.
Despite Congress appropriating significant funding for these initiatives, the lack of staff has rendered them essentially non-functional. Senator Tim Kaine, during Schwartz's confirmation hearing, pressed her to reignite the smoking office's operations, emphasizing the legal obligation to adhere to appropriated funds. However, the current administration's reshaping efforts, spearheaded by Elon Musk, have left the CDC with a critical shortage of experienced personnel, leaving these once-prominent health initiatives in a state of limbo.
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- CDC’s new director is pressed to do something about its zombie programs winnipegfreepress.com
