Former CDC Directors Raise Concerns About Future
of Agency
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=44057
as retrieved 4/07
Employee morale problems and questions of scientific
integrity could pose challenges for the future role
of CDC in U.S. public health, five former agency
directors said on Tuesday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
reports. At a symposium sponsored by the George
Washington University School of Public Health, the
five former CDC directors -- William Foege, who
served as director from 1977 until 1983, Jeffrey
Koplan, who served as director from 1998 until 2002,
David Satcher, who served as director from 1993
until 1998, William Roper, who served as director
from 1990 until 1993, and James Mason, who served as
director from 1983 until 1989 -- discussed their
concerns about the agency.
Foege said that CDC must eliminate the "perception
... that politics trumps science and truth" and
strengthen the "role of science that has always
characterized CDC" because the agency will have
problems with retention of scientists when "people
debate the efficacy of condoms or the need for
vaccinations." Koplan agreed, citing the need
for CDC to maintain "public trust in scientific
integrity at a time when there is a perception of
political ideology intruding into public health
decisions and public health policy." According to
Roper, the closer CDC "is to the political process,
the harder it is to function as a world health
agency." Satcher also said that CDC must seek
increased funds and address health care disparities.
In addition, he said that employee morale problems
at CDC likely have resulted from a recent
reorganization of the agency (Nesmith, Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, 4/4).
A webcast of the event is available online at
kaisernetwork.org.
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