AFV and LAFV Statement on Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham Appointment to Principal Deputy Director of U.S. CDC
American Families for Vaccines (AFV) is alarmed by the appointment of Louisiana's Surgeon General, Dr. Ralph Lee Abraham, as the new Principal Deputy Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Families deserve leaders who rely on evidence—not ideology—to keep children safe. Abraham’s record shows a consistent pattern of decisions that limit families’ access to accurate information and undermine their ability to protect their health.
Earlier this year, Abraham ordered the Louisiana Department of Health to halt all community vaccine clinics and prohibited state public health workers from promoting vaccines. These actions came despite overwhelming evidence that vaccination remains one of the most effective tools for preventing severe illness and death. Louisiana already struggles with basic healthcare access, and today Louisiana reports the highest flu activity in the nation, according to CDC surveillance data.
Abraham also failed to adequately notify the public of Louisiana’s largest pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in 35 years—an outbreak that has already claimed the lives of two infants this year.
As Surgeon General, Abraham has amplified false and unsupported claims about vaccines. He has stated that Covid vaccines are more dangerous than Covid itself, even though the virus has killed over 7 million people worldwide. Several studies have shown that Covid vaccines have saved millions of lives and trillions of dollars in medical costs. During a legislative hearing in September, Abraham failed to correct his Deputy Surgeon General’s false suggestion that vaccines cause autism, a claim disproven by decades of rigorous research involving millions of children.
Abraham’s troubling record also extends to the opioid crisis. In 2013, he ranked among the top 0.2% of all U.S. physicians for opioid prescriptions written under Medicare Part 2. Further, Dr. Abraham presents himself as a family physician despite lacking board certification in Family Medicine, raising serious concerns about his qualifications.
Taken together, these actions reflect a consistent disregard for evidence-based public health practice. Families cannot make informed decisions when leaders restrict access to vaccines, minimize outbreaks, or elevate false health guidance. We deserve leaders who safeguard public health, not endanger it. Public trust depends on transparent, evidence-driven leadership, especially during outbreaks and crises. Abraham has repeatedly failed to meet those basic responsibilities. Elevating Abraham to the second-highest leadership role at the CDC risks extending his harm nationwide.