Key facts
- Erica Schwartz, nominated by President Donald Trump, faced a Senate confirmation hearing for CDC director.
- Senators pressed Schwartz on her willingness to resist Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vaccine agenda and policies.
- Schwartz pledged to uphold science and use 'radical transparency' but deflected direct questions about handling pressure from Kennedy.
- The CDC has experienced significant leadership turnover and workforce issues.
- Schwartz has a background in military health and previously served as deputy surgeon general.
Erica Schwartz, President Donald Trump's nominee for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, faced a rigorous confirmation hearing before the Senate health committee. Senators grilled Schwartz, a former deputy surgeon general, on her commitment to scientific integrity and her ability to navigate potential pressure from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a figure associated with vaccine skepticism.
During the hearing, Schwartz pledged to uphold science and employ "radical transparency" to restore public trust in the CDC. However, she repeatedly deflected direct questions about how she would handle directives from Kennedy, particularly concerning vaccine policies. Committee Chair Bill Cassidy emphasized the need for a director who would counter misinformation undermining public faith in immunizations. Schwartz assured the committee that Kennedy would permit her to serve as CDC director.
Several senators focused on Kennedy's past actions, including a reported directive to halt a flu vaccination campaign. Schwartz responded to hypothetical scenarios by stating she does not speak in hypotheticals, but acknowledged that the CDC's mission may have experienced "mission creep" over time.
Schwartz also stated she had not seen a current CDC webpage suggesting a link between childhood vaccines and autism, but declined to commit to its removal, while agreeing that existing medical evidence does not support such a link. She also indicated unawareness of curtailed smoking prevention and vaccination promotion programs.
The CDC has experienced significant leadership instability, with Schwartz being the third nominee under the Trump administration. Previous nominees faced withdrawn hearings or were quickly dismissed, leading to resignations of senior staff in protest of management styles and vaccine policy approaches.