CDC Ombuds Issue First Report

The two ombudsmen hired in response to morale problems at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Joseph McDade and Gerald Naehr, have received 26 inquiries since last fall, according to an e-mail they sent to agency employees. The ombudsmen (hired last October on a one-year $250,000 contract) have recommended that the CDC establish a permanent ombudsman office at the Atlanta-based agency and hire a full-time director. Senator Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, asked to have the ombudsmen provide him a briefing on their activities by February 9. (Atlanta Journal Constitution subscription required.)