{
  "id": 233023,
  "title": "I Led the CDC. Here's My Advice for Erica Schwartz.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/i-led-the-cdc-heres-my-advice-for-erica-schwartz",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-06T18:09:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MedPage Today",
    "slug": "medpage-today",
    "url": "https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/122515"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Erica Schwartz, MD, MPH, JD, the recently confirmed CDC director, assumes a challenging role at a critical juncture. She faces a weakened agency with a reduced workforce, simultaneous infectious disease outbreaks, and a public increasingly skeptical of federal guidance. This report offers guidance for Schwartz from a former CDC director, emphasizing the importance of building upon the agency's existing strengths, addressing outbreaks to restore trust, and utilizing clinical training to navigate the position. The report also highlights the necessity of early and transparent communication, trusting specialized staff, and maintaining a strong bedside manner when delivering difficult news. Schwartz must resist rushing to fix what she perceives as issues and instead thoroughly understand the challenges within CDC. Furthermore, she should approach policymaking with evidence as the foundation, ensuring her decisions are grounded in scientific data. The report concludes with a request for former CDC directors to support Schwartz and urges her to present a consistent, dedicated presence in Atlanta, at the Capitol, and among the public to foster trust and cooperation.",
  "summary": "(MedPage Today) -- I led the CDC. I know what greets a new director on day one: an inbox that never empties, urgent calls about health threats worldwide, a workforce at every level watching her every move, and a Congress that controls whether her...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "The new CDC director must prioritize building on existing strengths, restoring trust through effective outbreak response, and leading with evidence-based policymaking to overcome current challenges and skepticism.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}