BUDGET/CDC: “The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said she will prioritize a wide range of public health issues, from fighting infectious disease to strengthening early-childhood development, as the federal agency faces potentially substantial budget cuts.
In an interview at the end of her first week on the job, Brenda Fitzgerald said she would make a strong case for public health spending should the agency fall on tough times.
‘When there are austere times, the most important factor is that you have to know what your mission is,’ Dr. Fitzgerald said. ‘You make sure what you’re doing is indeed fulfilling that role, because there are certain things that I believe only public health can do,’ she said.
The Trump administration has proposed a $1.22 billion, or 17%, cut to the CDC’s budget for fiscal 2018, including reductions in chronic disease prevention and epidemic preparedness.
Many public health experts welcomed Dr. Fitzgerald’s July 7 appointment, because she is a public health advocate and leader. But she has been criticized for a Georgia childhood obesity program that accepted funds from Coca-Cola Co.’s foundation and for offering controversial anti-aging remedies as a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist.”
-Betsy McKay, “New CDC Chief Lays Out Priorities as Agency Faces Cuts,” The Wall Street Journal online, July 16, 2017 04:25pm