CDC Appoints Vaccine Critic, Ivermectin Advocate as Deputy Director
Ralph Abraham, MD, has recently been appointed as the deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This position places him as the second highest-ranking official in the nation’s leading infectious disease agency.
Controversial Appointment Raises Concerns
The selection of Abraham for this role has sparked significant controversy. He is a known critic of COVID-19 vaccinations and has promoted the use of ivermectin during the pandemic. In addition, he has argued against the recommendation for birth doses of hepatitis B vaccinations.
Background and Actions in Office
During his tenure as Louisiana’s state surgeon general, Abraham took actions that have attracted criticism. Notably, he directed the health department to halt mass vaccination campaigns. Furthermore, he faced backlash for a delayed response to a pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in Louisiana earlier this year, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two infants. It took two months before he publicly addressed the outbreak.
Reactions from Health Officials
The appointment of Abraham has led to strong opposition from former health officials. Nirav Shah, MD, who served as the deputy director at the CDC for two years, voiced his concerns in a recent New York Times article. He stated that Abraham’s qualifications are questionable, especially given that a significant part of the deputy director’s role involves emergency response.
- Abraham’s tenure as state surgeon general included controversial decisions that have raised ethical questions.
- The CDC’s effectiveness could be jeopardized by leadership grounded in vaccine skepticism.
- Public health emergencies require prompt and decisive action, which was lacking in Abraham’s past response.
This appointment signals a shift in the leadership direction at the CDC, raising alarms over the future of public health policy in the United States.
