The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is sounding the alarm about recent reductions in workforce implemented at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This includes the dismissal of members belonging to the Global Health Center, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Epidemic Intelligence Service, entities that are critical to national and global public health missions. These sweeping terminations have dealt a massive blow to the nation’s infrastructure for infection prevention.
With the loss of veteran epidemiologists, laboratory safety specialists, and public health leaders, our capacity to timely identify, scrutinize, and control infectious disease threats both at home and abroad stands significantly compromised. The Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, colloquially referred to as ‘disease detectives,’ have spearheaded outbreak responses across the United States for many decades, from tracking the spread of Legionnaires’ disease to containing Ebola—making their departure particularly concerning. APIC President, Dr. Carol McLay, emphasizes how EIS officers have worked tirelessly in collaboration with infection preventionists on the field, from hospitals to local health departments and wider communities.
Their dismissal raises alarm bells for our national capability to counter infectious disease threats. The field of infection prevention is not optional; rather it underpins national security, healthcare safety, and the stability of global health. At this critical juncture, APIC urges federal decision-makers to reverse these budgetary reductions immediately and reinstate the CDC to its full capacity in fulfilling its mission. It is crucial for Congress and the administration to maintain sustained investment in infection prevention, epidemiologic monitoring, and laboratory safety. The strength of our healthcare systems, the health of our communities, and the stability of our global health environment depend on this commitment.