The former director of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was arrested on a sex abuse charge Friday in New York. Thomas Frieden allegedly grabbed the buttocks of a woman he knew who was in his home. in October
Five things to know about Frieden:
1. Frieden was the CDC chief from from 2009 to 2017, and led the CDC work that helped end the Ebola epidemic. Frieden led the CDC longer than any director since the 1970s. He oversaw the CDC during other major disease outbreaks, including the Zika epidemic and the 2009 global H1N1 swine flu pandemic.
2. From 2002 through 2009, Frieden served as New York City Health Commissioner. He led efforts to reduce smoking, and eliminate artificial trans fats from restaurant food, among other critical initiatives. While serving as commissioner, life expectancy in New York City increased by three years.
3. He received medical and public health degrees from Columbia University. Frieden also completed an infectious disease fellowship at Yale University.
4. After leaving the CDC, Frieden started a new initiative called Resolve, dedicated to reducing heart disease and strokes. The nonprofit is based in New York City.
“I hope five years from now we’ll look back and see this was the inflection point for rapid progress in preventing global cardiovascular disease deaths and improving epidemic preparedness,” Frieden told The Washington Post. “In a few years, we hope that blood pressure control, sodium reduction, elimination of trans fats and strong public health systems will have become the new normal.”
5. Frieden was arrested Friday morning in Brooklyn, according to police. He was charged with forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment.
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