The CDC has a new director – now comes the hard part

After nearly a year-long gap, the CDC again has a permanent director. James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via Wikimedia Commons The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Erica Schwartz, confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 5, 2026, is only the second CDC director to face Senate confirmation. Congress adopted the process for the agency after the COVID-19 pandemic to bring more scrutiny to one of the country’s most consequential public health jobs,…