The director of the National Institutes of Health is poised to take on one of the most powerful roles in American public health. Dr Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian-origin physician and health economist, is set to become acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to reports first published by The New York Times and confirmed by administration officials.
If formalised, the move would see Bhattacharya lead both the NIH and the CDC — two agencies central to the United States’ health and research infrastructure. President Donald Trump has not publicly announced the change, and the appointment is expected to be temporary until a permanent CDC director is nominated and confirmed by the Senate.
