In contrast to Wednesday’s lists of false or unprioritized cancer prevention tips, (from USA Today and the Washington Post) ACSH found the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Dr. Thomas Frieden’s list of public health priorities to be a winning compilation. Dr. Frieden wants CDC funds to focus on fighting six public health battles he believes we can feasibly win in the near future — smoking, AIDS, obesity/nutrition, teen pregnancy, auto injuries, and health care infections. CDC officials, however, make it clear that they do not intend to abandon other public health problems.
“There’s no question that devoting research attention to these six problems are very important,” says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross. “While one may quibble with the lack of certain issues on this list, we appreciate the fact that Dr. Frieden has attainable science-based goals in mind.”