Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., the New York City health commissioner who has worked to reduce smoking in New York and banned trans-fats in restaurants, has been picked to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jacob Goldstein, on The Wall Street Journal‘s Health Blog, discusses some of Frieden’s accomplishments. Jennifer 8. Lee of The New York Times lists some of the immediate issues Frieden will face at the CDC.
The American Public Health Association calls Frieden an “excellent choice” for the job and says he “has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting the public’s health.”
Maggie Fox, health and science editor at Reuters, points out a number of possible consequences and reactions to Frieden’s appointment.
A statement from Frieden on the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene lists accomplishments from the past seven years.
John Tierney, in The New York Times, takes a more skeptical view of Frieden’s work, focusing on his initiative to cut sodium intake. He says the city of New York is automatically enrolling “everyone in the experiment” and that Friedan already knows the “experiment’s outcome.” Tierney cites scientific uncertainties about the benefits of reducing sodium intake.
