The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appointed Dr. Ralph Abraham—who as Louisiana surgeon general ordered staff to stop promoting mass vaccination—as principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The move coincides with edits to CDC vaccine pages that critics say have softened language on vaccines and autism. The appointment and web changes prompted immediate questions from public‑health stakeholders and lawmakers about agency priorities and messaging. HHS confirmed the hire while stressing recruitment needs; congressional offices and public‑health groups signaled plans for oversight. The developments create near‑term regulatory and communications risk for CDC operations and industry interactions.