UPDATE: Following the appointment of Louisiana Surgeon General, Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham to Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Families for Vaccines and Louisiana Families for Vaccines released the following statement:
“Americans deserve leaders who rely on evidence—not ideology—to protect public health. Abraham’s record shows a consistent pattern of decisions that limit families’ access to vaccines and undermine our ability to protect public health,” said Northe Saunders, President, American Families for Vaccines.
“As we’ve seen in his role as Louisiana’s Surgeon General, Abraham has amplified false and unsupported claims about vaccines. He has halted all community vaccine clinics in the state and prohibited state public health workers from promoting vaccines. Abraham also failed to notify the public about the ongoing outbreak of pertussis, which is the largest in more than three decades and has taken the life of two infants. Public trust depends on transparent, evidence-driven leadership, especially during outbreaks and crises. Abraham has repeatedly failed to meet those basic responsibilities. Elevating Abraham to the second-highest leadership role at the CDC risks extending his harm nationwide,” said Jennifer Herricks, PhD, Founder, Louisiana Families for Vaccines.
Here's the original story:
Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, who moved to end vaccination promotion work in that state, has been selected for the No. 2 job at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Associated Press reports.
Abraham’s selection as the CDC’s Principal Deputy Director was confirmed Tuesday by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson, the AP reports.
Abraham is a physician and former Republican U.S. representative. He was named Louisiana’s first surgeon general last year, tasked with crafting health policy and improving public health. Earlier this year, he ordered staff to stop engaging in media campaigns and community health fairs to encourage vaccinations. He also criticized a CDC COVID-19 vaccination push.
