Opinion: The ‘disease detectives’ dodged a bullet — but another might be coming
“While the EIS program has likely been spared this time, the fact that its existence was in jeopardy at all highlights the precariousness of our public health infrastructure,” writes former…
Over the weekend, the Trump administration appeared to reverse plans for devastating cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). It was the right decision. As a former EIS officer, I believe the mere proposition of dismantling such a pivotal program underscores a troubling reality: Our nation’s already tenuous public health infrastructure and response capacity are alarmingly susceptible to political whims and are at risk of being indiscriminately cut.
For more than seven decades, the EIS program has been a cornerstone of the CDC’s ability to investigate and control disease outbreaks. Founded in 1951 in response to concerns about biological warfare, EIS has since trained thousands of epidemiologists who have played critical roles in addressing some of the most significant public health threats of our time. From the eradication of smallpox to the response to Ebola, Covid-19, and countless other outbreaks, EIS officers have been on the front lines, often putting their own safety at risk to protect the public.
