Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the principal U.S. federal public health agency, operating as one of 13 operating divisions within the Department of Health and Human Services. Founded in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center with a $10M budget and under 400 employees focused on malaria, the agency now operates 24/7 from its Atlanta, GA headquarters with a pre-2025 workforce above 10,000 and staff deployed in more than 25 countries. CDC's mandate covers disease detection and surveillance, outbreak response, scientific research, immunization and respiratory disease, environmental health, injury prevention, and global health security. It is structured around specialized national centers (e.g., NCEZID for emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases, NCIRD, NCHHSTP, NCCDPHP, NCEH/ATSDR) and functional offices including the Office of Readiness and Response, Office of Laboratory Systems and Response, Office of Public Health Data/Surveillance/Technology, and the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.

CDC's primary deliverables are three peer-reviewed scientific journals — Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID), and Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) — alongside the CDC.gov digital platform (available in 18 languages) and the CDC-INFO live-agent contact center. Operational tools include the Vessel Sanitation Program for cruise-ship gastrointestinal illness tracking, enhanced airport health screening at Hartsfield-Jackson and Dulles, deployable field epidemiology teams, and a network of 13 specialized Ebola treatment centers. The agency is investing in data modernization and agentic AI evaluation for public health surveillance via the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.

CDC does not generate commercial revenue. It is funded primarily through annual congressional appropriations as part of HHS, supplemented by the congressionally authorized CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit that has raised over $1.6B since 1995 across 1,200+ philanthropic programs. Its customers are the American public, healthcare providers, state/local/territorial health departments, and international health partners (WHO, Africa CDC, foreign ministries). Strategic partnerships include Emory University, University of Nebraska Medical Center, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Northwell Health, and SK Bioscience (rotavirus vaccine licensing). CDC is currently navigating a significant capacity contraction — approximately 25% of its federal workforce has departed since January 2025 — while concurrently managing escalating outbreak volume (Ebola, hantavirus, measles, dengue, Legionnaires') and 2026 World Cup preparedness for 6.5 million fans.

Name

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Legal name

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Website

https://cdc.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The U.S. federal public health agency under HHS, headquartered in Atlanta, that conducts disease surveillance, outbreak response, scientific research, and health-guidance dissemination for the American public, healthcare providers, and state/local/territorial health departments, with staff deployed across more than 25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Services

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (92312), Administration of Public Health Programs (923120), Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Notifiable Disease Reporting & Case Investigation (HLAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disease & Condition Surveillance Programs (HLAJANAB), Local/County Public Health Laboratories (HLAJAIAC), Laboratory Quality Systems, Accreditation & Proficiency Testing Programs (HLAJAIAM), Public Health Laboratories & Diagnostic Oversight (BPAIAJAF), Disease-Specific Reference Laboratory Networks (e.g., TB, HIV, Influenza) (HLAJAIAD)

Keywords

• Public health protection
• Disease outbreak response
• Health surveillance systems
• Epidemiology research
• Infectious disease control

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Appropriations: CDC is a federal government agency funded primarily through annual appropriations from Congress as part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency receives budget allocations to support public health surveillance, outbreak response, research, and prevention programs.
2. CDC Foundation Private Sector Funding: The CDC Foundation, established by Congress as an independent nonprofit, mobilizes philanthropic partners and private sector resources to support CDC's mission. Since 1995, the foundation has raised over $1.6 billion and launched more than 1,200 programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CDC operates as the nation's leading science-based, data-driven public health service organization that detects, responds to, and contains health threats. It delivers disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, laboratory science, emergency preparedness, scientific publications, and public health guidance to the American public, healthcare providers, and state/local health departments at no direct cost to users.

Product overview

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a U.S. federal government agency focused on public health protection. CDC's offerings include three peer-reviewed scientific journals (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Emerging Infectious Diseases, and Preventing Chronic Disease), the CDC-INFO contact center providing live agent support, and the CDC.gov website platform. These products work together to provide science-based health information, disease surveillance data, outbreak notifications, and public health guidance to healthcare professionals and the general public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) A weekly peer-reviewed epidemiological digest published by CDC that delivers timely, reliable, objective, and useful public health information and guidance to clinicians, public health professionals, and researchers.
• Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) A monthly peer-reviewed journal covering infectious diseases with emphasis on disease prevention, control, and elimination, distributed to healthcare providers and public health professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deployed over 125 staff to DRC and Uganda for Ebola response
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• SK BiosciencemoderateTechnology or Integration · 9 June 2026SK Bioscience signed a licensing agreement with CDC to develop an injectable rotavirus vaccine, aiming to improve efficacy and reduce costs with clinical trial support from CDC and the Research Investment for Global Health Technology Foundation. The vaccine aims to offer better protection for children in low- and middle-income countries where oral vaccines are less effective.
• Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmory University collaborated with CDC on Ebola preparedness efforts for the 2026 World Cup, developing preparedness protocols and conducting training exercises alongside University of Nebraska Medical Center and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.
• University of Nebraska Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CDC on Ebola preparedness for World Cup 2026; operates National Quarantine Unit housing American passengers exposed to hantavirus; has biocontainment unit for potential Ebola patient treatment; collaborated on previous Ebola responses.
• NYC Health + Hospitals/BellevuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CDC on Ebola preparedness for World Cup 2026, developing protocols and training for potential Ebola case management in New York area.
• CDC FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCongressionally authorized nonprofit organization that mobilizes private sector partners and resources to support CDC's mission. Since 1995, has raised over $1.6 billion and launched more than 1,200 programs spanning chronic diseases, infectious diseases, outbreak responses, and emergency preparedness.
• Northwell HealthmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthwell Health designated by CDC as Umbrella Hub Organization for National Diabetes Prevention Program, enabling expansion of diabetes prevention services and access to Medicare, Medicaid and payer reimbursement. Network includes YMCA of Long Island, Carter Burden Network, and Greater Springfield Community Church.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDC provides technical support to WHO for Ebola outbreak response; CDC assessed risk to American public as low while WHO declared public health emergency of international concern; coordinated on Bundibugyo strain identification and response planning.
• Africa CDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDC works with Africa CDC and WHO on joint $518 million Ebola response plan for DRC and Uganda outbreak, coordinating surveillance, laboratory testing, and infection prevention activities.
• Argentina Ministry of HealthmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDC biologists joined Argentine authorities' investigation into hantavirus outbreak aboard MV Hondius cruise ship, working together to trap and test rodents in Mendoza province to trace chain of transmission.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Health Organization (WHO): Global public health agency coordinating international disease surveillance, outbreak response, and health guidance. Directly comparable to CDC's global health mission and operates as CDC's primary international counterpart on Ebola, measles, and pandemic response.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Sister HHS agency conducting biomedical and public health research. Comparable in federal structure, workforce scale, and scientific publishing footprint, with overlapping mandate on infectious disease and chronic disease research.
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Federal HHS agency regulating drugs, vaccines, biologics, and medical devices. Closely aligned with CDC on vaccine oversight, diagnostic test policy, and the SK Bioscience-type technology licensing pipeline.

Direct peers

• Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR): HHS agency responsible for public health emergency preparedness and medical countermeasure development. Directly overlaps CDC's Office of Readiness and Response on Ebola preparedness, stockpiling, and biocontainment coordination.
• Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA): ASPR component funding advanced development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Comparable to CDC's vaccine co-development work with SK Bioscience and operates as a peer in the public health countermeasure ecosystem.
• Africa CDC: Continental public health agency coordinating African Union member states on disease surveillance and outbreak response. Co-leads the $518M Ebola response plan with WHO and is a direct counterpart to CDC's Global Health Center.
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC): EU agency providing EU-wide infectious disease surveillance, scientific guidance, and outbreak response. Operates as the European functional equivalent of CDC with comparable mandate and organizational structure.
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC): Canadian federal public health agency responsible for disease prevention, surveillance, and emergency response. Direct national-level peer to CDC with overlapping scope on infectious disease, chronic disease, and health security.
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): UK government agency responsible for health protection from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. Direct functional peer to CDC following the post-COVID consolidation of Public Health England capabilities.
• State Health Departments (e.g., California Department of Public Health): U.S. state-level public health agencies receiving CDC funding and technical assistance. Operate as CDC's distributed implementation partners for surveillance, vaccination programs, and outbreak response on the ground.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CDCgov
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/cdc
• Facebookfacebook.com/cdc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention
• Instagraminstagram.com/CDCgov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments37 records

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Frequently asked questions about Centers for Disease Control and Prevention