Enter to open, tab to navigate, enter to select
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Practical Law Glossary Item w-024-2939 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the primary public health agency in the US. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the agency's purpose is to protect and promote the public health by:
- Conducting scientific research, surveillance, and reference diagnostic testing.
- Detecting and responding to domestic and global viruses and diseases, including Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 (2019 Novel Coronavirus), the virus that causes COVID-19 (see Global Coronavirus Toolkit).
- Performing advanced computing and lab analysis of health data.
- Administering educational campaigns to inform the public of health threats (for example, prescription opioid addiction; see Practice Note, Mental Health Parity: Medication Assisted Treatment: Opioid Use Disorder).
For more information, see the CDC website.