Trump Nominates Dr. Marty Makary to Lead FDA, Revealing New Health System Shake-up
TL/DR –
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Marty Makary, a surgeon and author, to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Notably, Makary is known for opposing vaccine mandates and has expressed skepticism about the need for masking and booster vaccinations for children during the Covid-19 pandemic. Trump has also nominated former Republican Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat as the nation’s next surgeon general.
Trump Nominates Dr. Marty Makary as New FDA Leader
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Marty Makary to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), alongside other key health nominees. Known for his controversial views on COVID-19 health measures, Makary, a Johns Hopkins University professor, is another in a line of Trump nominees aiming to overhaul the “broken” U.S. health system.
Additionally, Trump has nominated former Republican Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat as the next Surgeon General. Watch the PBS News report for analysis.
Makary’s alignment with anti-vaccine organizer and Trump’s choice for Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has drawn attention. Both advocates for reducing the influence of pharmaceutical companies on medical practices and government regulation, they criticize the overuse of drugs and pesticides.
Trump hopes Makary will restore the FDA to “the gold standard of scientific research” and diminish bureaucratic red tape. Headquartered outside Washington, the FDA oversees the safety and effectiveness of a variety of consumer goods, accounting for 20% of U.S. consumer spending, or $2.6 trillion.
Makary became known for his controversial views during the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, he questioned the necessity of masks and expressed concerns over booster vaccinations in children. He also strongly advocated for herd immunity as a means of curbing the virus.
Makary has condemned drugmakers for promoting opioids as low-risk pain relievers using misleading data. He criticizes the FDA for approving drugs for Alzheimer’s and ALS based on incomplete evidence of patient benefits.
He proposes to shift the FDA’s focus from speedier drug approvals towards greater scrutiny of drug safety and effectiveness. This calls for an end to industry payments for drug approval, requiring substantial new federal funding.
Other administration priorities, like Kennedy’s desire to prevent drug companies from advertising on TV, could face legal challenges. See why health experts voice concerns about Kennedy’s HHS nomination.
Less is known about Trump’s CDC pick, Weldon, a “pro-life” Republican who has enacted multiple pieces of legislation during his congressional tenure. His nomination could appease anti-abortion advocates concerned about Kennedy’s pro-choice stance.
Formerly a legislator and now in line to lead a workforce of nearly 26,000, Weldon has previously opposed human cloning and genetic engineering on ethical grounds.
Nesheiwat, the prospective Surgeon General, oversees an urgent care company in New York and frequently appears on Fox News. If approved, she will lead the 6,000-strong U.S. Public Health Service Corps, with the power to issue public health threat advisories.
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