Healthcare — New CDC director faces first major test

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View Online Healthcare Healthcare The Big Story  New CDC director faces Trump vaccine test Erica Schwartz was officially sworn in as CDC director on Thursday, and she is already facing her first serious test: President Trump's executive order to change childhood vaccine policy.  Natasha Kaiser Schwartz's confirmation to lead the agency came nearly a year after her predecessor, Susan Monarez, was fired for what she said was her refusal to blindly sign off on efforts to change the childhood vaccine schedule by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  “I anticipate Erica Schwartz will do the right thing,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Thursday. “She made a point that her integrity was not in question, and she’s got the spine of somebody who’s been a senior officer in the Coast Guard.”   Trump’s executive order on Monday called for slashing the overall number of recommended vaccines for children from 18 to 11 and splitting up the measles, mumps and rubella shot into three separate vaccines.   Public health advocates, Democrats and Republicans alike have said Schwartz is qualified. She was a top public health officer in the Coast Guard and deputy surgeon general in the first Trump administration.  But every Senate Democrat but one voted against her, largely because she was unable to convince them that she would stand up to Trump and Kennedy if needed.  At her confirmation hearing in July, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) asked Schwartz if she would be willing to defy orders from Kennedy that went against science or could harm public health.  Schwartz said she did not believe that the president or the secretary “would ever do what you just mentioned.”  It happened less than a month later, and Trump and dropped the controversy square into Schwartz’s lap.   Public health leaders are waiting to see how she responds, and how much freedom Kennedy gives her to run the agency free from interference.  “Her job is to promote and protect public health, and so that's got to be the number one priority for her,” said David Margolius, health director for the city of Cleveland.  “I hope that we can see her on all the TV channels and all the media outlets, just out there, being consistent, helping to reassure folks about the safety of these vaccines, so that we can prevent and reduce the impact of these outbreaks,” Margoulis said.   Vaccine recommendations are usually written by an independent panel of experts after reviewing medical evidence, and an executive order doesn’t have the authority of law outside of the administration.  Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC, said he was worried about what might happen if Schwartz appears to undermine Trump and Kennedy’s messaging.  “I'm at least encouraged that we have someone in that chair who has the experience and expertise to know what the right public health interventions should be,” Besser said.   “We saw what happened to Dr. Monares when she held the line on issues around science and evidence, and I have fears that that Dr. Schwartz will very quickly run into trouble if she if she fulfills that responsibility.”  Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the healthcare sector this week and beyond: Warren presses RFK Jr. on Trump ties to lettuce distributor Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is pressing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on whether the administration’s response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak was influenced by the donations of a major produce supplier to groups linked to President Trump.  In a letter sent to Kennedy on Thursday, Warren questioned whether the “botched response” to the outbreak “may be the result of incompetence and …  Full Story Cassidy: New CDC Director Schwartz ‘will do the right thing’ on vaccine order Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he has confidence that new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Erica Schwartz will stand up for science and won’t enforce President Trump’s executive order calling for major changes to the childhood vaccine schedule.  “I anticipate Erica Schwartz will do the right thing,” Cassidy, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said in an interview …  Full Story Whole Foods recalls additional products made with jalapeño peppers over salmonella concerns (NEXSTAR) — Additional salsas, guacamole, and more have been recalled in connection to a salmonella outbreak traced back to jalapeño peppers. Taylor Fresh Farms recently recalled multiple salsas, dips, guacamole, and more sold at various retailers across 26 states over the same peppers, supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors. The Mexico-based supplier may be responsible for more than 300 cases of salmonella reported across 27 …  Full Story In Other News  Branch out with a different read: WHO chief: US immunization changes ‘not aligned with decades of evidence’ The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) criticized changes to the U.S.’s vaccine policy for children on Wednesday. “@WHO is concerned that recent changes to US immunization policy are not aligned with decades of evidence that show when children are most vulnerable to disease, when vaccines provide the strongest protection, how many doses are needed, and which vaccines can be given together safely,” WHO Director-General … Full Story Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on healthcare: State health officials take action against kratom products (WGGB/WSHM)  National report lists almost 20% of rural Arkansas hospitals at 'immediate risk of closing' (KFSM)  Louisiana health officials warn of vibrio case rise (Axios)  What We're Reading  Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets: People with disabilities say Medicaid's limits on income stifle career advancement (KFF Health News)  Ticks that cause Lyme and other diseases have migrated south. Are doctors ready? (NBC News)  Millions of adults in the US should be taking blood pressure-lowering medication (CNN)  What People Think  Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: Big Insurance is trying to gut the No Surprises Act Trump is dismantling public health, one executive order at a time   You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Healthcare page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.