Dr. Jay Bhattacharya named acting CDC director amid federal health leadership shakeup.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, has been named acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, succeeding Jim O’Neill amid a broader leadership reshuffle at federal health agencies. The change follows the dismissal of former CDC Director Susan Monarez and multiple resignations, including that of NIAID head Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo. Bhattacharya, known for opposing pandemic lockdowns, will now lead both major health agencies during a period of instability, raising concerns about continuity in public health response and policy. The Department of Health and Human Services has not commented on the transition or its duration.