MedPage today story.
As President Donald Trump's picks to lead federal health agencies await confirmation hearings, HHS and its key subagencies now have acting directors.
Here's what we know about who currently rules these vast and powerful organizations.
Acting HHS Secretary: Dorothy Fink, MD
Fink is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health and Director of the Office of Women's Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at HHS. She board certified in endocrinology, internal medicine and pediatrics.
Shortly after her appointment as acting secretary, she told the agency's chiefs of staff in a memo that an “immediate pause” had been imposed. ordered onlinesuch as rules, regulations, announcements, press releases, social media posts, and website postings until approved by a political appointee.
In a subsequent statement released this week, Fink noted that the HHS Office of Civil Rights will review your rules and recommendations related to federal laws on conscience and religious practices.
“Consistent with the President's January 24 executive order (enforcing the Hyde Amendment) and guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, the Department will re-evaluate all programs, policies and guidance to ensure that federal taxpayer dollars are not used to pay for or promote elective abortions,” the statement said.
He also emphasized that the United States rejoins the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Advancing Women's Health and Strengthening Families, which is based on the following principles: improving women's health, preserving human life, strengthening the family as the fundamental unit of society, and protecting the national sovereignty of every nation.
Fink received her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. Her previous clinical practice targeted at women from adolescence to menopause and beyond, with areas of specialization including diabetes, nutrition and bone health.
Acting NIH Director: Matthew Memoli, MD
At the National Institutes of Health, Memoli heads the Clinical Research Division of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases (LID), where much of the research is conducted. focused on influenza and respiratory viruses regarding vaccines, transmission and risk groups.
“Translating science from the bedside to the bedside and then back to the bedside in the form of a product that can prevent or treat infection is an extremely important part of developing future effective vaccines and therapeutics,” the CSU LID description states.
Although Memoli is an NIH insider, he previously opposed the US response to COVIDaccording to a post this week from STAT.
In 2021 Wall Street Journal reported that Memoli, who had opposed mandatory COVID vaccination and refused vaccination – was willing to speak out against such mandates at the NIH roundtable.
“Dr. Memoli said he supports COVID-19 vaccination among high-risk populations, including older adults and people who are obese.” WSJ reported. “But he argues that with existing vaccines, blanket vaccination of people at low risk of severe disease may prevent the development of more durable immunity acquired in the population from infection.”
At the time, Memoli noted: “I do vaccine trials. I'm essentially helping create vaccines. Part of my career is sharing my expert opinions, right or wrong. … I mean, if they all end up saying I'm wrong, that's fine. I want to discuss this,” according to Memoli. WSJ.
Next STATIn announcing his appointment as acting NIH director earlier this week, an agency spokesperson provided the publication with a statement from Memoli that said, “My sole role as acting NIH director is to support the transition of the new administration until the new NIH director is confirmed by the U.S. Senate and is serving at the NIH.”
Memoli received a master's degree in microbiology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and a medical degree from St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada.
Acting CMS Administrator: Jeff Wu, JD, MBA
Wu is the Deputy Director for Policy in the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at CMS, where he leads CCIIO's work on policy and regulation for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance reform, according to the agency. These include health insurance markets, premium stabilization programs, advance premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions, the managed and consumer-directed plan program, regulation of qualified health plans, and eligibility and enrollment standards.
In November, Wu was quoted in a report KFF health news on CMS' anti-fraud efforts during the ACA enrollment period, saying the agency has “increased support operations” at its call centers in the Health.gov marketplace in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls. Three-way calls are only necessary when an agent or broker not associated with a consumer's enrollment wants to change a consumer's enrollment or terminate coverage, he told the publication at the time.
Prior to his position as deputy director of policy at CCIIO, Wu held other policy positions at the center, according to CMS. Previously, he worked as an attorney at the Covington Law Firm. & Burling and a management consultant at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
Wu received his law degree from Stanford Law School and his MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, both in California.
Acting FDA Commissioner: Sarah Brenner, MD, MPH
Brenner works as a doctor of preventive medicine and public health. to the FDA.
“She has extensive experience in medical, scientific and federal health policy, including coordinating whole-of-government operations with a focus on medical countermeasures, technological innovation, regulation, public health preparedness and data analysis on the front lines of the national response to COVID-19, spanning two administrations,” the agency said.
Brenner most recently served as Chief Medical Officer for In Vitro Diagnostics and Deputy Director for Medical Affairs at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. During the pandemic, her work as part of the federal response included serving as the diagnostic data lead on the HHS Data Strategy and Execution Task Force.
Prior to joining the FDA, Brenner served as a senior policy advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology, where her portfolio included biomedical science, technology and human health.
Brenner received her medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City and her MPH from SUNY Albany School of Public Health in New York City.
Acting CDC Director: Susan Monares, Ph.D.
Before publication on the CDC website, CBS News reported that the Trump administration it is expected to go beyond the CDC by appointing Monares, the deputy director of the federal agency for medical research, as acting director.
Monares joined the CDC from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H), where she most recently served as Associate Director since January 2023.
Prior to ARPA-H, she led initiatives “focused on the ethical use of artificial intelligence and machine learning” to support improving health outcomes, addressing health care affordability and access, expanding access to mental health interventions, ending the opioid epidemic, eliminating health disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality, and improving organ donation and transplantation programs.
Monares also served at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council, and held senior positions at the Department of Homeland Security.
She received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin.–Madison.
