In a fiery exchange during a recent House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) took the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to task for what he perceives as a significant departure from its core mission. Crenshaw argued that the CDC’s increasing focus on social issues, such as “inclusive communication” and addressing structural racism, distracts from the agency’s primary responsibility: protecting public health through the prevention and control of diseases.
CDC’s Expanding Scope Under Scrutiny
Crenshaw began his remarks by expressing concern over the CDC’s apparent overextension into areas traditionally outside its purview. He referenced former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and President Obama’s CDC Director Tom Frieden, both of whom have called for a more focused and agile CDC. According to Crenshaw, the American public views the CDC as an operational body, designed to respond swiftly to new and dangerous communicable diseases, rather than as an organization bogged down by a wide array of initiatives.
“Americans expect the CDC to be the first line of defense against health threats,” Crenshaw asserted, “not an agency lost in academic publishing or social activism.”
The Problem with “Inclusive Communication”
One of Crenshaw’s primary criticisms centered around the CDC’s Health Equity guideline, which promotes “inclusive communication.” He pointed to specific examples, such as the directive to refer to drug users as “people who inject drugs” and smokers as “people who smoke.” Crenshaw questioned why the CDC is dedicating resources to what he described as “speech codes” rather than focusing on more pressing health issues.
“Why is anyone at the CDC spending time on this?” Crenshaw asked pointedly. “This kind of activity forces the public to lose trust in a very important organization.”
Addressing Racism as a Public Health Threat
Crenshaw also took issue with the CDC’s classification of racism as a “serious threat to the public’s health.” While acknowledging that racism is undesirable, he questioned whether it falls within the CDC’s mandate to combat communicable diseases. “Is there a specific structure that the CDC has targeted to stop racism?” he asked, rhetorically. “I’m not really sure it’s your job.”
Gun Violence and the Role of the CDC
The Congressman continued by addressing the CDC’s involvement in researching gun violence. He argued that this is an area more appropriately handled by law enforcement agencies. Crenshaw emphasized that the CDC should focus on health-related threats, leaving crime prevention and investigation to the police. “There’s really crazy data out there,” he said sarcastically, “and it goes like this: when there’s more police doing their jobs, there’s less crime.”
Praise for Fentanyl Research
Despite his criticisms, Crenshaw did acknowledge and praise the CDC for its work in investigating fentanyl presence in wastewater – a project aimed at identifying areas with high levels of fentanyl use. “That’s the kind of thing we should be doing,” Crenshaw noted. He inquired about the progress of this research, emphasizing its importance in tackling the opioid crisis.
CDC’s Response to Fentanyl Concerns
Dr. Allison Arwady, Director of the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), responded by explaining that the research into wastewater analysis is still in its early stages. However, she confirmed that the CDC is actively working on this issue, with the goal of better understanding and responding to the opioid crisis. “It is a space that we are still very much learning in,” Arwady said, emphasizing the importance of data in combating the epidemic.
Differentiating Fentanyl from Other Substances
Crenshaw further pressed Dr. Arwady on the specifics of the research, particularly on the CDC’s ability to differentiate between legal and illegal use of fentanyl in wastewater analysis. Dr. Arwady acknowledged that while the technology is still developing, the CDC can indeed create hotspots indicating areas of higher fentanyl usage, which could be instrumental in targeting public health interventions.
“Justifying Yearly Budget Increases”
People in the comments shared their thoughts: “All these agencies do this. It’s to justify the enormous yearly increases in their budgets. Why do we have a department of education when every state already have one?”
Another commenter added: “Communication that’s not cognizant of the audience is ineffective.”
One person said: “The CDC is also a democrat voter & registration office now”
A Call for the CDC to Re-Focus
Crenshaw concluded his remarks by reiterating his belief that the CDC needs to return to its core mission of disease control and prevention. He urged the agency to prioritize fieldwork and practical health initiatives over what he views as peripheral social issues. “I bring this up as one of the things the CDC should be doing,” Crenshaw said of the fentanyl research, contrasting it with what he sees as the unnecessary focus on inclusive language and social justice.
The Focus of CDC
What are your thoughts? Should the CDC be involved in addressing social issues such as racism and inclusive communication, or should it strictly focus on disease prevention and control? Does the expansion of the CDC’s mission into areas like gun violence and social justice dilute its effectiveness in handling public health emergencies? How might public trust in the CDC be impacted by its involvement in politically charged issues, and what steps could the agency take to regain focus and credibility?
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