951 - Dr. Debra Houry on Her Decision to Leave the CDC

About this episode:

Last week, Dr. Debra Houry was testifying before Congress. Today, she’s talking with Dr. Josh Sharfstein on Public Health On Call. In this episode: Dr. Houry reflects on her time at the CDC, the drastic changes at the agency under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and what she hopes her testimony can do to uphold quality public health.

Guest:

Dr. Debra Houry, MPH, most recently served as the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the CDC. She has also worked as a professor at both the Emory University School of Medicine and the Rollins School of Public Health, and as an emergency department physician.

Host:

Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.

Show links and related content:

• Testimony from Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H.—Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

• Senior CDC officials resign after Monarez ouster, cite concerns over scientific independence—CBS News

• A Brief Update: CDC in Crisis—Public Health On Call (September 2025)

Transcript information:

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