Words by Isabel O’Brien
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Dr Jay Bhattacharya to head up the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Stanford University professor will join another high-profile nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who is set to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in the new administration.
If confirmed by the Senate, Dr Bhattacharya will assume responsibility for the NIH’s $47bn budget, which includes the oversight of clinical trials, the provision of support for drug development initiatives and the allocation of grants to researchers. In a statement released on X following the announcement, the potential new head of the body said that he was “honoured and humbled” by the nomination.
The prospective new NIH director is perhaps best known for co-authoring the ‘Great Barrington Declaration’, a document which argued against the implementation of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, he also advocated for substantial revisions to the FDA’s drug review process, proposing a shift towards safety assessments rather than efficacy requirements.
In a statement, Trump expressed confidence in his selection, stating: “Dr Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.”
The appointment is the latest in a series of key health appointments by Trump. Previous picks include Martin Makary to head the FDA, Dr Mehmed Oz for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Janette Nesheiwat as Surgeon General and former Representative David Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
