No Result
View All Result
SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES
  • Login
Friday, October 10, 2025
TheAdviserMagazine.com
  • Home
  • Financial Planning
    • Financial Planning
    • Personal Finance
  • Market Research
    • Business
    • Investing
    • Money
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Stocks
    • Trading
  • 401k Plans
  • College
  • IRS & Taxes
  • Estate Plans
  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Legal
  • Home
  • Financial Planning
    • Financial Planning
    • Personal Finance
  • Market Research
    • Business
    • Investing
    • Money
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Stocks
    • Trading
  • 401k Plans
  • College
  • IRS & Taxes
  • Estate Plans
  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Legal
No Result
View All Result
TheAdviserMagazine.com
No Result
View All Result
Home Market Research Business

The new head of the CDC has no training in medicine and once helped Peter Thiel develop man-made islands floating outside U.S. territory

by TheAdviserMagazine
1 month ago
in Business
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
The new head of the CDC has no training in medicine and once helped Peter Thiel develop man-made islands floating outside U.S. territory
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LInkedIn



President Donald Trump has picked Jim O’Neill, a former investor and critic of health regulations serving under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to take control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, following a tumultuous week in which the agency’s director was forced out.

O’Neill, Kennedy’s deputy at the Department of Health and Human Services, will supplant Susan Monarez, a longtime government scientist who had been the CDC director for less than a month.

Monarez’s lawyers said she refused “to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts.”

O’Neill takes over as acting director of an agency that has been rocked by firings, resignations and efforts by Kennedy to reshape the nation’s vaccine policies to match his long-standing suspicions about the safety and effectiveness of long-established shots.

An HHS spokesperson said Friday that O’Neill would continue to serve as deputy of the department but did not provide details on his new role.

A former associate of billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, O’Neill previously helped run one of Thiel’s investment funds and later managed several of his other projects. Those included a nonprofit working to develop manmade islands that would float outside U.S. territory, allowing them to experiment with new forms of government.

He has no training in medicine or health care and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in humanities.

A Washington insider on a team of outsiders

O’Neill has kept a markedly lower profile than Trump’s other top health officials, who all joined the administration as Washington outsiders. He’s also the only one with experience working at HHS, where he served for six years under President George W. Bush.

Those who know him say he’ll likely be tasked with trying to calm the situation at CDC — though it’s unclear what, if any, independence he’ll have from Kennedy.

“Jim O’Neill is a health care policy professional and I don’t think anybody can accuse him of being an RFK Jr. sock puppet,” said Peter Pitts, a former FDA official under Bush. “The question becomes whether the role of CDC director becomes a strictly paper tiger position, where the person only does what they’re told to by the secretary.”

O’Neill is not closely associated with Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement and its efforts against food dyes, fluoride and ultraprocessed foods.

He was also not a major critic of public health measures during the pandemic, unlike Food and Drug Administration chief Marty Makary and other Trump officials. Although O’Neill did use social media to criticize FDA efforts to stop the prescribing of unproven treatments for COVID-19, including the anti-parasite drug ivermectin.

O’Neill has pushed for less regulation

O’Neill has long-standing ties to the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, including Thiel, one of Trump’s leading supporters from Silicon Valley. Like Thiel, O’Neill has expressed disdain for many parts of the federal bureaucracy, saying it hinders advances in medicine, technology and other areas.

During Trump’s first term, O’Neill was vetted as a possible choice to lead the FDA, although his past statements about the agency raised alarms among pharmaceutical and medical technology executives.

In particular, O’Neill proposed doing away with FDA’s 60-year-old mandate of assuring new drugs are both safe and effective in treating disease. In a 2014 speech, O’Neill suggested drug effectiveness could be established after they hit the market.

Trump ultimately nominated Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA official and supporter of the agency’s regulatory approach, as commissioner.

Refusal to break with Kennedy on vaccines

After being nominated to the HHS post, O’Neill voiced his support for the federal government’s traditional system for overseeing vaccines — including the role of the CDC — while refusing to criticize Kennedy’s views on the topic.

“I support CDC’s recommendations for vaccines,” O’Neill told Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy at a confirmation hearing in June. “I think that’s a central role that CDC has. It’s mandated in law.”

In follow-up questions, ranking Democrat Ron Wyden pressed O’Neill on statements by Kennedy downplaying the safety and effectiveness of vaccines to prevent measles and other diseases.

“Secretary Kennedy has not made it difficult nor discouraged people from taking vaccines,” O’Neill responded.

High-stakes vaccine decisions ahead

Within weeks, O’Neill could be asked to sign off on new recommendations from a CDC panel that Kennedy has reshaped with vaccine skeptics. The group is scheduled to meet next month to review vaccinations for measles, hepatitis and other conditions that have long been established on the government schedule for children.

Traditionally, the CDC director signs off on recommendations from the panel. But Monarez was ousted after, among other things, she refused to automatically sign off the committee’s recommendations, according to Dr. Richard Besser, a former CDC acting director who spoke to her.

As an acting official, federal law limits O’Neill to no more than 210 days heading the agency before he must step aside or be formally nominated to the post.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, who served twice as acting CDC director, says there are essentially no limits on the powers of the acting agency chiefs, beyond the time constraints.

“I was told, ‘You’re the director. Do what you need to do,’” Schuchat said.

Dueling health roles

Both of O’Neill’s roles at HHS and CDC are demanding, full-time jobs that would be extremely challenging for one person to do simultaneously, Schuchat said.

“But if the goal is to have an acting CDC director fulfill a predetermined decision about vaccines, it’s a different story,” Schuchat said.

It won’t help O’Neill that there was an exodus this week of four veteran CDC center directors, leaving the agency with few leaders who have a background in medicine, science or public health crisis management, she added.

___

AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe contributed to this story from New York

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.



Source link

Tags: CDCdevelopfloatinghelpedislandsManMademedicinePeterTerritoryThieltrainingU.S
ShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Trump breaks wind funding again, canceling $679 million in federal funding for a dozen offshore projects

Next Post

9 Legitimate Ways to Get a Lower Mortgage Rate Right Now

Related Posts

edit post
Trump just celebrated the bull market’s third birthday by wiping 2% off the S&P 500, lashing out at China over the great rare earths tug of war

Trump just celebrated the bull market’s third birthday by wiping 2% off the S&P 500, lashing out at China over the great rare earths tug of war

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

The third anniversary of the bull market took an unexpected turn on Friday as President Donald Trump’s latest comments on...

edit post
Trump threatens ‘massive increase’ in China tariffs

Trump threatens ‘massive increase’ in China tariffs

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he is calculating a massive increase in tariffs on Chinese...

edit post
Shonda Rhimes and Warren Buffett share the same spending habit: They both still use coupons—despite a combined 9.2 billion net worth

Shonda Rhimes and Warren Buffett share the same spending habit: They both still use coupons—despite a combined $149.2 billion net worth

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

Whether you’re one of the millions of viewers who tuned into Bridgerton, or are a longtime fanatic of Grey’s Anatomy,...

edit post
How NSE CEO Ashish Chauhan lost 16 months’ salary in the Harshad Mehta scam — and what he learned from it

How NSE CEO Ashish Chauhan lost 16 months’ salary in the Harshad Mehta scam — and what he learned from it

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

National Stock Exchange (CEO) Ashish Kumar Chauhan lost 16 months salary in the infamous Harshad Mehta scam but it served...

edit post
Metalsource Mining appoints Tom Kleeberg as COO

Metalsource Mining appoints Tom Kleeberg as COO

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

Metalsource Mining (OTCPK:SFRIF) announced on Friday the appointment of Tom Kleeberg as Chief Operating Officer of the company, effective immediately....

edit post
How REI’s store closings in New York and Boston could derail the CEO’s efforts to win over employees

How REI’s store closings in New York and Boston could derail the CEO’s efforts to win over employees

by TheAdviserMagazine
October 10, 2025
0

When Mary Beth Laughton became CEO of REI this year, one of the first things she did was aimed at...

Next Post
edit post
9 Legitimate Ways to Get a Lower Mortgage Rate Right Now

9 Legitimate Ways to Get a Lower Mortgage Rate Right Now

edit post
7 Financial Dates and Deadlines in September (Including Medicare Documents)

7 Financial Dates and Deadlines in September (Including Medicare Documents)

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
edit post
What Happens If a Spouse Dies Without a Will in North Carolina?

What Happens If a Spouse Dies Without a Will in North Carolina?

September 14, 2025
edit post
Pennsylvania House of Representatives Rejects Update to Child Custody Laws

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Rejects Update to Child Custody Laws

October 7, 2025
edit post
What to Do When a Loved One Dies in North Carolina

What to Do When a Loved One Dies in North Carolina

October 8, 2025
edit post
Does a Will Need to Be Notarized in North Carolina?

Does a Will Need to Be Notarized in North Carolina?

September 8, 2025
edit post
DACA recipients no longer eligible for Marketplace health insurance and subsidies

DACA recipients no longer eligible for Marketplace health insurance and subsidies

September 11, 2025
edit post
Tips to Apply for Mental Health SSDI Without Therapy

Tips to Apply for Mental Health SSDI Without Therapy

September 19, 2025
edit post
No Tax On Overtime Explained

No Tax On Overtime Explained

0
edit post
The Buying Window Could Be Closing in These States

The Buying Window Could Be Closing in These States

0
edit post
*HOT* Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese (12 pack) only .97 shipped!

*HOT* Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese (12 pack) only $7.97 shipped!

0
edit post
Dutch-based CTNET acquires ViaData: Know more

Dutch-based CTNET acquires ViaData: Know more

0
edit post
Envisioning Tomorrow’s Healthcare  | Mintel

Envisioning Tomorrow’s Healthcare  | Mintel

0
edit post
How advisors can avoid legal pitfalls of AI use

How advisors can avoid legal pitfalls of AI use

0
edit post
*HOT* Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese (12 pack) only .97 shipped!

*HOT* Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese (12 pack) only $7.97 shipped!

October 10, 2025
edit post
No Tax On Overtime Explained

No Tax On Overtime Explained

October 10, 2025
edit post
Trump just celebrated the bull market’s third birthday by wiping 2% off the S&P 500, lashing out at China over the great rare earths tug of war

Trump just celebrated the bull market’s third birthday by wiping 2% off the S&P 500, lashing out at China over the great rare earths tug of war

October 10, 2025
edit post
Economics and the Infantilization of Culture

Economics and the Infantilization of Culture

October 10, 2025
edit post
Bitcoin ETFs Extend Inflow Streak to 9 Days as Ether Sees Modest Outflow

Bitcoin ETFs Extend Inflow Streak to 9 Days as Ether Sees Modest Outflow

October 10, 2025
edit post
Trump threatens ‘massive increase’ in China tariffs

Trump threatens ‘massive increase’ in China tariffs

October 10, 2025
The Adviser Magazine

The first and only national digital and print magazine that connects individuals, families, and businesses to Fee-Only financial advisers, accountants, attorneys and college guidance counselors.

CATEGORIES

  • 401k Plans
  • Business
  • College
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Economy
  • Estate Plans
  • Financial Planning
  • Investing
  • IRS & Taxes
  • Legal
  • Market Analysis
  • Markets
  • Medicare
  • Money
  • Personal Finance
  • Social Security
  • Startups
  • Stock Market
  • Trading

LATEST UPDATES

  • *HOT* Kraft Original Macaroni & Cheese (12 pack) only $7.97 shipped!
  • No Tax On Overtime Explained
  • Trump just celebrated the bull market’s third birthday by wiping 2% off the S&P 500, lashing out at China over the great rare earths tug of war
  • Our Great Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use, Legal Notices & Disclosures
  • Contact us
  • About Us

© Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved
See articles for original source and related links to external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Financial Planning
    • Financial Planning
    • Personal Finance
  • Market Research
    • Business
    • Investing
    • Money
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Stocks
    • Trading
  • 401k Plans
  • College
  • IRS & Taxes
  • Estate Plans
  • Social Security
  • Medicare
  • Legal

© Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved
See articles for original source and related links to external sites.