Dr. Deborah Birx, who helped coordinate the international response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, told Face The Nation that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have a “deep bench” of expertise and staff to respond if Ebola cases increase. She said that, even though neither agency currently has a confirmed permanent director, experienced people and systems are in place to move quickly.
Birx emphasized that having seasoned teams matters: public health investigators, laboratory scientists, clinical trial and regulatory experts, and established emergency protocols can be mobilized to detect cases, trace contacts, support treatment, and accelerate evaluation of tests or therapeutics. Her experience in 2014 informs her assessment that institutional capacity is often broader than any single leader — teams across the agencies, and in state and local public health, know how to stand up an outbreak response.
She also stressed the importance of clear communication and coordination between federal agencies, state health departments, hospitals, and international partners. Rapid testing, timely clinical care, protective measures for health workers, and transparent public guidance are key priorities in any response. While leadership vacancies may raise questions, Birx said they do not preclude action by career staff who carry out the technical work.
What this means for the public: officials advise following health guidance, monitoring travel advisories, and seeking information from credible public health sources. Birx’s point was reassuring to those worried that leadership gaps might slow a response; she argued that the operational capacity — the deep bench — exists to act when needed.