Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and former Texas Republican Congressman Michael Burgess have emerged as potential nominees to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CBS News reported.
The White House last week withdrew President Donald Trump’s previous nominee, Dr. Dave Weldon, shortly before his U.S. Senate confirmation meeting.
CBS News cited unnamed administration officials, who said they are trying to “get it right” with their next nominee. The news outlet said the Trump administration is “seeking to address concerns about a prolonged vacancy at the agency or the prospect of another embarrassing about-face.”
Ladapo and Burgess have support from “some of President Trump’s allies.”
Other potential nominees have declined offers, CBS News reported.
Drug safety advocate Kim Witczak, a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, said both potential nominees “represent bold departures from the status quo, but for very different reasons.”
Witczak said:
“Ladapo has been outspoken in challenging prevailing public health narratives, especially around COVID-19, and would likely bring a disruptive, but much-needed shake-up to an institution in desperate need of reform. He also knows how to navigate political landmines.
“Burgess, a physician and former Congressman, brings extensive policy experience, but his long tenure in Washington may not signal the kind of transformational change many are hoping for.”
The eventual nominee will likely face questions from Senators about the rise in measles cases, the bird flu outbreak and their stance on vaccines.
This will be the first time a nominee to lead the CDC will undergo a Senate confirmation process — the result of a 2022 Congressional amendment.
Meanwhile, Susan Monarez, Ph.D., previously deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, is serving as acting director of the agency.
Burgess shifted away from past support for COVID vaccines
Reuters, citing an unnamed source “familiar with the matter,” reported that Burgess is the “likely nominee” for the nomination to lead the CDC, adding that a final decision has not yet been made.
Reuters also reported that the CDC rescheduled for April 15-16 a meeting of its vaccine advisory panel. The agency postponed the meeting last month.
Burgess is a former obstetrician and gynecologist who in January retired from Congress after 22 years. He led the U.S. House of Representatives doctors’ caucus for several years until his retirement.
Reuters reported that Burgess initially supported COVID-19 vaccines, telling Congress during the pandemic that the vaccines are “safe and effective tools that have been proven to protect Americans from preventable, life-threatening diseases.” He also spoke about the need to confront “vaccine hesitancy.”
Burgess later shifted his position. In a March 2022 tweet, he expressed support for a Congressional resolution to end the CDC’s mask mandate for public transportation, saying that “Americans are tired of nonsense policies.”
In a January 2023 tweet, Burgess criticized the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, calling it an “egregious overstep.” He has also expressed support for the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization.
At a 2023 Congressional hearing, Burgess said, “We all share the goal of rebuilding the faith and trust in the CDC, because I think most of us recognize we need a well-functioning and respected CDC in order to protect the American people.”
Ladapo called for end to mRNA COVID shots, water fluoridation
Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general since 2021, “has drawn controversy on a number of issues,” including his stance on COVID-19 vaccines, CBS News reported.
In 2022, Ladapo recommended against the administration of COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children, making Florida the first state to break with official CDC guidance.
The next year, he called on federal public health officials to “publicly” explain 12 key issues related to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Last year, Ladapo called for a halt in the administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, stating that the FDA and CDC did not adequately respond to his letter with questions about the issue.
Earlier this month, he supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for the CDC to stop recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for children.
Ladapo has also questioned establishment guidance on water fluoridation. In November 2024, he advised local governmental authorities across Florida to stop fluoridating their water supply, citing the neuropsychiatric risks associated with the practice. Ladapo repeated these calls earlier this month.
According to CBS News, Ladapo’s positions mean his confirmation prospects “could be steep.” But his positions have also earned him “some prominent supporters” — including DeSantis.
In a statement to CBS News, Weldon expressed his support for Ladapo:
“I thoroughly support Dr. Ladapo for CDC director. He should be at the top of President Trump’s list. He has done a great job for us here in Florida and his education and experience make him the perfect choice.
“Whoever they pick, to get past [Republican Sen. Bill] Cassidy, it’s best if they have never said anything remotely critical of the childhood vaccine program. Though 90% of parents are refusing COVID shots for their kids, 50% are refusing the flu shot, and 10% are refusing the measles.”
Cassidy previously wavered in his support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — which oversees federal public health agencies, including the CDC and FDA.
Cassidy ultimately supported Kennedy’s nomination after he said Kennedy committed to meet or speak with him multiple times monthly, and to include Cassidy in the HHS hiring process.
Weldon suggested that Cassidy’s opposition contributed to the White House withdrawing his nomination, CBS News reported. But one former congressman has suggested that a pathway still exists for Weldon to be named CDC director.
In a statement released Thursday, Hon. Dan Burton, former chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, called for the recess appointment of Weldon to lead the CDC. Burton cited Weldon’s willingness to hear a “balanced perspective” on vaccines, as a key reason why Weldon should be appointed.
The U.S. Constitution allows the president to unilaterally appoint a candidate to a federal position while Congress is in recess. The appointee can remain in the position until the end of the following Senate session.
‘The days of ‘trust us, we’re the experts’ are over’
An HHS spokesperson on Thursday confirmed for Reuters that the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee’s previously postponed meeting has been rescheduled for April 15-16.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, helps set the vaccination schedule for children and adults and issues recommendations to the CDC regarding vaccine approval.
According to HHS, the meeting was postponed to accommodate public comment. The rescheduled meeting will include an update on the measles outbreak.
According to Endpoints News, the draft agenda of the postponed meeting included a review of new COVID-19, flu, RSV and meningitis vaccines and the hospitalization of five people who received Valneva’s chikungunya vaccine.
Endpoints reported that it remains unclear if the agenda for the meeting will change, although unnamed sources said the meeting might be shortened and some agenda items might be cut.
Witczak called for transparency regarding the topics ACIP will discuss next month. She said:
“When public confidence in health institutions is at an all-time low, reducing transparency and limiting dialogue can send the wrong message. What’s being cut, and why? The public deserves to know. It raises red flags about what’s being deprioritized and a shortened meeting could undermine meaningful deliberation.”
Witczak called ACIP’s “lack of independence” its “most glaring deficiency.”
“Time and again, ACIP has served as a backdoor endorsement panel for vaccine products, rather than a critical oversight body. Conflicts of interest, fast-tracked approvals, groupthink and the absence of long-term safety data have severely undermined its credibility.”
She added:
“For too long, regulatory and advisory bodies have been captured by the very industries they are supposed to oversee. Leadership at the CDC and by extension, ACIP, must reflect a renewed commitment to public trust, transparency and safety. The days of ‘trust us, we’re the experts’ are over.”
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