CDC director Erica Schwartz pledges transparency and rebuilding public trust in first public address

In her first public address, newly appointed CDC Director Erica Schwartz pledges to rebuild public trust and prioritize transparency at a time when the agency faces low morale and historically low trust. Speaking at the Health Connect South conference in Atlanta, Schwartz emphasizes serving the American public but avoids hot-button issues like vaccines and the ongoing U.S. measles outbreak of over 3,000 cases. Meanwhile, health leaders highlight broader challenges, including stagnant U.S. life expectancy and Georgia's projected 2030 physician shortage.

CDC director transparency pledge

• ▪Erica Schwartz, the first Black woman to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressed over 1,000 attendees at the annual Health Connect South meeting at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
• ▪Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Erica Schwartz promised transparency and to rebuild public trust in the federal agency during her first public address on September 21, 2026.
• ▪Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Erica Schwartz, who was a little over a month into her role, did not address the ongoing measles outbreak or vaccines during her remarks.

Public health agency trust

• ▪Surveys show that public trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is at an all-time low, making trust-building a top priority for Director Erica Schwartz.
• ▪Over the past year, staff members at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have experienced budget cuts, leadership changes, and low morale.

US healthcare system challenges

• ▪Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia President Corwin N. Harper highlighted that Georgia consistently ranks low in healthcare affordability, access, and health outcomes.
• ▪National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya stated that major advances in science, biology, and technology have not translated into longer life expectancy for Americans since 2010.

Georgia physician workforce shortage

• ▪Georgia Higher Education Healthcare Initiative co-founder Laurie Ott suggested that Georgia can grow its physician workforce by improving funding for residency training, admission strategies, and training culture.
• ▪According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, the state of Georgia is projected to face a significant shortage of physicians by the year 2030.

Measles outbreak response

• ▪Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Erica Schwartz, who was a little over a month into her role, did not address the ongoing measles outbreak or vaccines during her remarks.
• ▪The United States is currently experiencing one of its largest measles outbreaks in decades, with more than 3,000 cases recorded so far.