NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya to Serve as Acting CDC Chief: Reports

The New York Times first reported that Bhattacharya will temporarily lead both agencies until the administration appoints a permanent CDC director, who will require Senate confirmation.

Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will serve as acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the departure of Jim O'Neill, according to media reports.

The New York Times first reported that Bhattacharya will temporarily lead both agencies until the administration appoints a permanent CDC director, who will require Senate confirmation. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed the development.

The leadership shift follows a period of turnover at the CDC. O’Neill had been serving as acting director after the removal of Susan Monarez, who was dismissed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. less than a month into her tenure.

Bhattacharya, a physician and medical economist, has focused on population health research but does not have a traditional public health background, according to the NYT report. Public health leaders cited by the newspaper raised concerns about the challenge of managing both agencies simultaneously.

The CDC has faced multiple rounds of funding cuts, along with staff firings and resignations that have reduced the number of career leaders within the agency. Debra Houry, M.D., a former CDC chief medical officer who left the agency in August, told the NYT that while the NIH and CDC collaborate on certain programs, they “have a fundamentally different approach” in their work.

Geographic separation may add to the complexity of the interim arrangement. The NIH is based in Bethesda, Maryland, while the CDC is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

O’Neill’s exit was disclosed alongside broader leadership changes within HHS. The Washington Post reported that he is expected to be offered an ambassadorship. HHS also announced the promotion of Chris Klomp, director of Medicare at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to chief counselor at the department. Additional senior counselor appointments were made at the Food and Drug Administration and CMS.

The interim appointment comes amid continued policy shifts and organizational changes across federal health agencies.

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