As the Trump administration works to find a new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mississippi’s state health officer is reportedly on the shortlist for the position.
The Washington Post reported Dr. Dan Edney is one of three names being floated around by administration officials, along with Former Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher and Johns Hopkins cardiologist Joseph Marine. However, the publication noted that the eventual nominee for CDC head may not be any of those three as “about a half dozen individuals are being seriously considered.”
“[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 report said. “Administration officials say their research for a CDC director is not over and President Donald Trump’s eventual pick may ultimately be a different choice”
Edney has served as Mississippi’s state health officer since August 2022, succeeding Thomas Dobbs who led the state through the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic. Edney has continued Dobbs’ push for residents to consider being vaccinated against the coronavirus, and has been a strong proponent of other vaccines such as flu and RSV while supporting the comprehensive childhood immunization schedule.
Arguably the most notable achievement of Edney’s tenure is helping the state move from last in overall health to 48th, according to America’s Health Rankings. Under his leadership, the state has seen decreases in opioid-related deaths, teen births, accidental deaths, and HIV rates. Even after a federal judge ordered Mississippi to allow religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations just months into Edney’s tenure, the state has continued as a model for school-required vaccination rates with the 2024-25 mark at 97.6% – third-best in the U.S., per the state’s latest public health report card.
Before becoming state health officer, Edney held roles as deputy state health officer and chief medical officer at the Mississippi State Department of Health. He also has more than 30 years of experience in private practice, operating a clinic in Vicksburg.
Whether it’s Edney or someone else, the White House must decide soon on the next phase of leadership at the department tasked with protecting public health through disease control, prevention, and emergency response. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health who has been acting CDC director since the dismissal of Susan Monoarez in August, will see his appointment expire Thursday. The White House could always tap another interim leader if the administration wanted to extend its search for a full-time CDC director.
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