WASHINGTON (AP) -- President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Dr. Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration, selecting a surgeon and author who gained national attention for opposing vaccine mandates and some other public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, is the latest in a string of Trump nominees who have declared the U.S. health system "broken," vowing a shakeup. As part of a flurry of nominations late Friday night, Trump also tapped doctor and former Republican Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat, meanwhile, is set to be the nation's next surgeon general.
"will restore FDA to the gold standard of scientific research, and cut the bureaucratic red tape at the agency to make sure Americans get the medical cures and treatments they deserve."
Headquartered in the Maryland suburbs outside Washington, the 18,000 employees of the FDA are responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and medical devices as well as a swath of other consumer goods, including food, cosmetics and vaping products. Altogether those products represent an estimated 20% of U.S. consumer spending annually, or $2.6 trillion.
Makary gained prominence on Fox News and other conservative outlets for his contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic. He questioned the need for masking and had concerns about booster vaccinations in young children. He was part of a vocal group calling for greater emphasis on herd immunity to stop the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that COVID-19 vaccinations prevented more than 686,000 U.S. deaths in 2020 and 2021 alone.
Makary has lamented how drugmakers used misleading data to urge doctors to prescribe OxyContin as low-risk pain relievers under FDA-approved labeling from the 1990s.
In more recent years, there has been criticism over FDA's approval process based on incomplete data that failed to show meaningful benefits for patients with conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
Kennedy has proposed ending those payments...
Nominations Overview
- Marty Makary: Nominated for FDA leadership; known criticizer of overprescribing drugs
- Dave Weldon: Nominated for CDC leadership; staunch "pro-life" advocate
- Janette Nesheiwat: Nominated as Surgeon General; supports Trump's policies