Wait, what's the catch? That was the prevailing reaction in public health circles when President Trump announced this spring that Erica Schwartz, MD, MPH, would be nominated to lead the CDC.
She had the right training. She had the right experience. She had the right support.
Even better, anti-vaccine allies of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were vocally displeased with the choice. Sounded great.
Her nomination was so normal, the journey so drama-free, that my primary concern of late was that her nomination would be pulled, especially since Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), the chair of the Senate health committee, lost his re-election primary to a pro-Trump challenger.
Just how worried was I? Well, I signed up for an auto-alert for changes to her nomination status on Congress.gov, if that gives you a sense.
