Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as CDC’s Second in Command

Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham has been quietly appointed as the CDC’s principal deputy director, making him the highest-ranked official with a medical degree at the agency. As Louisiana’s former surgeon general, Dr. Abraham halted mass vaccination campaigns and promoted treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which have been discredited for Covid-19.

He has publicly questioned the safety and efficacy of vaccines, including COVID-19 and hepatitis B, and delayed public alerts during a pertussis outbreak that resulted in fatalities. Public health experts have raised concerns about his emergency response experience and adherence to evidence-based policies, highlighting potential challenges for CDC leadership and public health communication efforts. Read more from the New York Times here.