The White House has selected Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill to serve as acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The decision follows the dismissal of Susan Monarez, who held the position for approximately a month.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised O’Neill’s background in technology and government, stating he is “ideally suited to transition HHS into a technological innovation powerhouse” and will focus on advancing AI, telemedicine, and other innovations to improve healthcare. O’Neill, who joined HHS in June after years as a Silicon Valley-based investor, previously worked with the Thiel Foundation and the Thiel Fellowship. He also served in the George W. Bush administration, where he oversaw food regulation and emergency response reforms.
O’Neill’s appointment comes amid instability at the CDC, following Monarez’s firing and recent resignations of senior officials. Agency staff recently gathered outside the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters to honor departing leaders, including Dr. Debra Houry, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Dr. Daniel Jernigan, and Dr. Jennifer Layden.
Kennedy criticized the CDC’s past decisions, citing “bizarre recommendations” and misinformation during the COVID pandemic. He also highlighted the agency’s inclusion of abortion, fluoridation, and vaccines in its list of top medical achievements.
O’Neill, who lacks formal training in medicine or infectious disease science, has previously supported unproven treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. He has also promoted conspiracy theories, including the claim that the term “COVID” was chosen to obscure the virus’s origin.
The CDC is set to convene a meeting of its vaccine advisers, where O’Neill is expected to influence new guidelines on updated COVID vaccines.
