Acting CDC Director Bhattacharya addresses staff at all-hands meeting

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.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff gathered Wednesday for what many hoped would be an announcement of the Trump administration’s choice for a new leader of the beleaguered agency. 

But instead, acting Director Jay Bhattacharya told them a permanent director would likely be nominated by Thursday. 

A transcript of the hour-plus all-hands meeting, obtained by STAT, revealed tough questions for Bhattacharya, who scored points from staff on some issues — like supporting measles vaccination — but waffled on others. His defense of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom he called a friend and suggested has been mischaracterized by the media, was met with some audible grumbling, one source in the room told STAT.