Health

NIH's Bhattacharya will also run the CDC while Trump administration looks for a permanent director

February 19, 2026

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the current Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been appointed as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid ongoing leadership changes in federal health agencies. This appointment comes as the Trump administration seeks a permanent director for the CDC, which has been without a Senate-confirmed leader since August 2025.

NIH's Bhattacharya will also run the CDC while Trump administration looks for a permanent director

Credit: Abcnews

Key Highlights

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will temporarily lead the CDC.
He replaces Jim O’Neill, who held dual roles at CDC and Health and Human Services.
The CDC has not had a Senate-confirmed director since August 2025.
This leadership change is part of broader shake-ups within federal health agencies.
Bhattacharya is the third individual to lead the CDC in a short timeframe.

1 Health United States Politics and Government Health and Human Services Department Kennedy, Robert F Jr O'Neill, Jim (1968- )Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Monarez, Susan Trump, Donald J Bhattacharya, Jay

Sources

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

NIH's Bhattacharya will also run the CDC while Trump administration looks for a permanent director

Key Highlights

Sources

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