Newly appointed CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, gave an emotional agencywide address March 29 that highlighted the importance of science and data in the CDC's public health mission, according to The Washington Post.
Here are three things to know about the speech.
1. Dr. Redfield spent 45 minutes speaking with employees at the CDC's Atlanta headquarters, calling the CDC the best "science-based, data-driven agency in the world. I've dreamed of doing this for a long time," according to The Washington Post. Earlier this year, CDC employees were instructed by an agency official to avoid phrases such as "science-based" in their 2019 budget.
2. In his speech, Dr. Redfield acknowledged the CDC's greatest responsibility is to protect Americans from epidemic health threats.
"I pray it doesn't happen on our watch. But I want to make sure we're all prepared, whether it's flu — my biggest fear — or [Middle East respiratory syndrome] or something else. I respect the mission we have, which is to be prepared for what we don't expect," Dr. Redfield said, according to The Washington Post.
3. Dr. Redfield spent the majority of his career as an HIV/AIDS researcher, and he expressed optimism that the U.S. would soon be able to eradicate the disease.
"Ending the AIDS epidemic in America? It's possible. I think it could be done in the next three to seven years, if we put our mind to it," Dr. Redfield said, according to The Hill.