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Rita Helfand, MD

Senior Adv for Science, Natl Ctr Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious DIseases
CDC
Atlanta, GA, United States

Rita Helfand, MD is the Senior Advisor for Science in the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has served in this position since 2010. She is also the Chair of the World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and was asked to present in part in this capacity. She has held multiple leadership positions in the Infectious Diseases centers. Dr. Helfand joined CDC in 1992 as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer assigned to CDC’s Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases. She initially served as a medical epidemiologist with a particular expertise in measles. Dr. Helfand has participated in multiple CDC emergency response efforts, including serving on the Global Vaccine and International Task Forces for the current COVID-19 response, and has held leadership roles in the Zika response, multiple Ebola responses, the Fungal meningitis outbreak of 2012, the SARS outbreak, and the response to the anthrax attack in 2001.
Dr. Helfand has extensive international public health experience, including serving as a consultant to the World Health Organization on several committees. She also serves on several HHS interagency committees, including the HHS interagency vaccine safety task force. Dr. Helfand is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Dr. Helfand holds a BA in psychology from Yale University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. She completed her pediatrics training at Boston Children’s Hospital. She performs clinical work at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She has authored or coauthored of numerous scientific journal articles, her interests include emerging infectious diseases, vaccines, blood safety, preparedness planning, and patient safety.

I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

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