President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for key public health agencies—Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (NIH), Dr. Marty Makary (FDA), and Dr. Dave Weldon (CDC)—signal a dramatic shift in priorities aimed at transparency, scientific rigor, and addressing chronic health issues.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President-elect Donald Trump has announced new leadership for three critical health agencies, appointing Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Marty Makary to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Dr. Dave Weldon to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new agency heads are tasked with restoring public trust, which has plummeted since the pandemic, and addressing systemic issues in health policy and research.
Public trust in the CDC, which peaked above 50% in 2021, dropped to below 40% by 2022 and 2023. Similar declines have been observed in the FDA and NIH, posing challenges for the incoming appointees.
Dr. Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor known for his critical stance on COVID-19 lockdowns and his co-authorship of the Great Barrington Declaration, is expected to overhaul NIH funding priorities. With an annual budget of more than $50 billion, Bhattacharya plans to shift research efforts toward combating chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes rather than focusing primarily on symptom management. Katy Talento, a former White House health advisor, praised Bhattacharya’s potential to target the root causes of the chronic disease epidemic.
Dr. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author, will lead the FDA with a focus on evidence-based decision-making. Makary has been an outspoken critic of groupthink in medicine, arguing that reliance on consensus can lead to ineffective or harmful practices. He criticized long-term COVID-19 restrictions, noting their economic and social toll, and emphasized the importance of nuanced public health policies during the pandemic. Trump stated that Makary’s leadership would “restore FDA to the Gold Standard of Scientific Research and cut bureaucratic red tape.”
Dr. Dave Weldon, a former congressman and vaccine safety advocate, will lead the CDC. Weldon’s tenure in Congress included efforts to increase vaccine safety transparency, such as introducing the Vaccine Safety and Public Confidence Assurance Act and opposing mercury in vaccines. Although Weldon supports vaccination, he has been critical of conflicts of interest within the CDC and has called for an independent agency to oversee vaccine safety. Weldon’s emphasis on transparency aligns with Trump’s vision of a CDC focused on its core mission of disease prevention.
Restoring public trust will require extensive cultural changes, according to Dr. Cody Meissner of Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, who expressed confidence in the nominees. “Jay Bhattacharya welcomes a chance to hear opposing views … and even his critics would admit that he’s willing to engage in a discussion with anybody with divergent opinions,” Meissner said.
As these nominees take the helm of their respective agencies, their focus on reform, transparency, and evidence-based policies could redefine the trajectory of public health in the United States. For more details on Weldon’s vaccine initiatives, visit the 2006 Act or review Bhattacharya’s budgetary outlook here.
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