The new head of the CDC has no training in medicine and once helped Peter Thiel develop man-made islands floating outsid
The new head of the CDC has no training in medicine and once helped Peter Thiel develop man-made islands floating outside U.S. territory
President Donald Trump has picked Jim O’Neill, a former investor and critic of health regulations serving under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to take control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, following a tumultuous week in which the agency’s director was forced out.
O’Neill takes over as acting director of an agency that has been rocked by firings, resignations and efforts by Kennedy to reshape the nation’s vaccine policies to match his long-standing suspicions about the safety and effectiveness of long-established shots.
An HHS spokesperson said Friday that O’Neill would continue to serve as deputy of the department but did not provide details on his new role.
A former associate of billionaire tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, O’Neill previously helped run one of Thiel’s investment funds and later managed several of his other projects. Those included a nonprofit working to develop manmade islands that would float outside U.S. territory, allowing them to experiment with new forms of government.
He has no training in medicine or health care and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in humanities.
https://fortune.com/2025/08/29/who-is-jim-oneill-acting-head-cdc-peter-thiel-robert-kennedy/
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