STAT News · Feb 15, 2026 · Collected from RSS
The lack of a Senate-confirmed leader is deepening the turmoil at the CDC.
Helen Branswell covers issues broadly related to infectious diseases, including outbreaks, preparedness, research, and vaccine development. Follow her on Mastodon and Bluesky. You can reach Helen on Signal at hbranswell.01.For 28 days last summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a director who had been confirmed by the Senate. But in less time than it took Susan Monarez to get approved, she was fired for not kowtowing to her boss, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over vaccination policy. It’s starting to look increasingly possible that that less than month-long stretch may be the only period in the second Trump administration when the agency has a full-time director, according to several public health experts who follow the agency closely. President Trump hasn’t nominated a new director to replace Monarez, and a White House spokesman didn’t respond to a request for comment. “I think there’s a high likelihood that the CDC will not have a presidentially appointed and a confirmed director in [the remainder of] this administration,” Samuel Bagenstos, a professor of law and social policy at the University of Michigan, told STAT. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus daily intelligence on Capitol Hill and the life sciences industry — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe