Meet Jim O’Neill: A Washington Insider Taking the Helm at the CDC

Jim O’Neill, an investor-turned-HHS official, has stepped in as the interim director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after the recent ouster of Susan Monarez, according to a report published by The Associated Press. O’Neill, who still serves as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced on social media that he looks forward “to working with CDC staff and announcing additions to the senior leadership in the weeks ahead.”

O’Neill’s background is unconventional for a health agency chief: he holds humanities degrees and has never worked in medicine. He previously helped manage investment projects for tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, including ventures exploring experimental government structures on artificial islands, as reported by AP.

A Bridging Figure Between Policy and Ideology

O’Neill, observers believe, is a rare insider on a team of largely outsider health officials. He served six years at the HHS under President George Washington Bush. 

Former FDA official Peter Pitts told the news agency, “Jim O’Neill is a health care policy professional and I don’t think anybody can accuse him of being an RFK Jr sock puppet.” However, Pitts for his part said, “The question becomes whether the role of CDC director becomes a strictly paper tiger position, where the person only does what they’re told to by the secretary.”

Reports suggest O’Neill hasn’t aligned himself with initiatives like the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ platform championed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He is also not known for opposing mainstream pandemic measures, though he did question FDA restrictions on unproven COVID-19 treatments like ivermectin.

A Libertarian, Yet Regulatory-Skeptical Background

Affiliated with Thiel’s libertarian circle, O’Neill has criticised federal regulations for slowing scientific progress. As far back as 2014, he reportedly proposed allowing drug effectiveness to be proved after market release, in a departure from the federal health agency’s long-standing safety and efficacy standards.

Supporting CDC Role Amid Controversy

During his confirmation hearing, O’Neill had said, “I support CDC’s recommendations for vaccines… It’s mandated in law.” Pressed on RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine statements, he replied, “Secretary Kennedy has not made it difficult nor discouraged people from taking vaccines.”

O’Neill now appears to be facing a critical test: he may need to sign off soon on vaccine policy decisions from a CDC advisory committee that Secretary Kennedy has reshaped.

Acting Role, Big Responsibilities

O’Neill’s dual role as CDC acting director and HHS deputy has seemingly raised concerns. 

Noting the difficulty of fulfilling two demanding jobs at once, Dr. Anne Schuchat, who previously filled the director role, told AP, “But if the goal is to have an acting CDC director fulfill a predetermined decision about vaccines, it’s a different story.”

According to the report, O’Neill can serve as acting director for up to 210 days, per federal law. With four senior CDC leaders recently departed, he now leads an agency stripped of much of its medical and scientific expertise.