Rest assured, the new CDC director thinks ‘abortion surveillance’ is essential | Arwa Mahdawi
Summary
Dr. Erica Schwartz was confirmed as the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), becoming the first Black woman to hold the position. During her confirmation, she emphasized the importance of abortion data collection as part of CDC work, which sparked concern about increased abortion surveillance amid ongoing political debates.Key Facts
- Dr. Erica Schwartz is the first Black woman to be CDC director.
- The CDC had been without a permanent leader for almost a year before her confirmation.
- Schwartz has experience as deputy surgeon general during President Trump’s first term.
- She promised to "never betray the science" regarding vaccines during her hearing.
- Missouri Senator Josh Hawley questioned Schwartz about improving abortion data collection.
- Schwartz said abortion surveillance is a critical part of CDC activities.
- There is a current voluntary system for states to report abortion data called the Abortion Reporting System.
- 44 states plus Washington DC have some form of required abortion reporting; some states have privacy-focused policies, such as New York.
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