Mississippi health officer on shortlist for CDC director, Washington Post reports
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Dr. Dan Edney, Mississippi’s state health officer, is among three names being floated by administration officials to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The newspaper said the other two names include former Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Johns Hopkins cardiologist Joseph Marine. The Post added that about “a half dozen individuals are being seriously considered,” citing several administration officials and others familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
“[Edney, Fletcher, and Marine] are being considered to lead the nation’s preeminent public health agency, according to several administration officials and others familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter,” the Washington Post reported.
Dr. Dan Edney has served as Mississippi’s state health officer since August 2022, succeeding Thomas Dobbs, the Mississippi State Department of Health says. The department says Edney has continued efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccination and has supported influenza, RSV and childhood immunization schedules.
The state has seen changes in several health measures during Edney’s tenure. America’s Health Rankings moved Mississippi from last in overall health to 48th, the Mississippi State Department of Health said, and the department reported declines in opioid-related deaths, teen births, accidental deaths and HIV rates. The department’s latest public health report card listed the 2024-25 school vaccination rate at 97.6%, the third-highest in the nation, the state report said.
The Washington Post said the White House must decide soon on the next CDC leader. The paper reported that Jay Bhattacharya, described as director of the National Institutes of Health and serving as acting CDC director since the dismissal of Susan Monoarez in August, will see his appointment expire Thursday, and that the White House could name another interim leader if it extends its search.
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