The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is shaking up operations to get out data faster and move more nimbly to respond to emerging outbreaks, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The new initiative, announced Wednesday in an internal message, comes as the agency has faced criticism for a slow response to the growing outbreak of monkeypox and conflicting guidelines for the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC’s initial steps include overhauling its communications wing to ensure agency guidance is as clear as possible to the public.
It will also increase the use of preprint scientific reports to release key data instead of waiting for research to pass peer review for publication in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, according to the AP.
The initiative comes as public health experts have called for a more centralized approach to public health efforts. A few months ago, a group of former health leaders petitioned Congress to create a new undersecretary for public health that serves as a single federal responder to public health efforts.
The Department of Health and Human Services has also come under criticism for a sluggish response to the growing monkeypox outbreak, including outsourcing key parts of the response to state departments.
A New York Times report found that at least 20 states and localities complained about a rollout of Jynneos monkeypox vaccines, including incorrect locations or shipment sizes.