Ralph Abraham, M.D., was sworn in as Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on December 15, 2025. The ceremony was conducted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Dr. Abraham will assume his new role at CDC headquarters in Atlanta starting January 5, 2026.
Dr. Abraham brings almost three decades of medical experience to the position, having most recently served as Surgeon General of Louisiana. In his new capacity, he is expected to help guide the CDC’s efforts in defending against infectious diseases.
Secretary Kennedy stated, "The CDC's foremost duty is to protect the American people from infectious disease. Dr. Abraham recognizes that responsibility. He brings the integrity, courage, and decades of medical experience required to restore the CDC's standing as the world's most trusted defender of public health."
Jim O'Neill, Deputy Secretary and Acting CDC Director, said, "CDC has turned a corner and refocused on its core mission of defending America and the world against infectious disease. It is also advancing Secretary Kennedy's mission to make America healthy again. I am delighted to have Dr. Abraham's clinical and scientific expertise to accelerate radical transparency and make CDC the best it can be."
Dr. Abraham commented on his appointment: "I am honored to join Secretary Kennedy and Deputy Secretary O'Neill in their mission to reform the CDC. By putting sound science first — and checking our ideologies at the door — we can make the CDC a model for the world in infectious disease tracking, prevention, and treatment."
Dr. Abraham holds degrees from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and Louisiana State University School of Medicine. His career includes ten years practicing veterinary medicine followed by work as a family physician.
From 2015 through 2021, he represented Louisiana’s fifth congressional district in Congress where he served on several committees including Armed Services; Agriculture; and Science, Space, and Technology.
As Louisiana’s Surgeon General, Dr. Abraham developed health policy focused on disease prevention while working with state agencies to improve public health outcomes across Louisiana. He has also participated in humanitarian missions internationally.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works nationally and globally to identify threats from diseases regardless of origin or type by providing timely information and responding rapidly to outbreaks or illnesses (https://www.cdc.gov/about/organization/mission.htm). The agency supports local public health initiatives across communities through investments aimed at protecting public health.
