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From the Washington Examiner: President Donald Trump’s nominees for the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration were confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday evening largely along partisan lines, marking a pivotal moment for the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda to reform federal health agencies.
The Senate voted on party lines, 53-47, for Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to be NIH director, leading the agency that is the largest funder of biomedical innovation research worldwide.
Dr. Marty Makary was confirmed to be FDA commissioner in a 56-44 vote. Three Democrats voted for his confirmation: Minority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The FDA maintains safety and efficacy standards for drugs, vaccines, foods, and medical devices.
Both Bhattacharya and Makary are outsiders from their respective public health agencies, each of which has been targeted for substantial reforms by Republicans following widespread policy failures and declining trust following the COVID-19 pandemic era.
Each nominee faced long confirmation hearings in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where they were questioned about their perspectives on key aspects of the MAHA movement and whether or not they agreed with the more controversial positions of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Makary, 52, a surgeon from Johns Hopkins University, opposed broad vaccine mandates and certain restrictions and schools and universities during the Covid pandemic.
56-44: Senate confirmed Dr. Marty Makary, President Trump’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, as FDA Commissioner.
3 Democrats Minority Whip Durbin (IL) as well as both New Hampshire Senators Hassan and Shaheen joined all Republicans in voting Yes. pic.twitter.com/EKgMRaR2hK
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) March 26, 2025
Bhattacharya, 57, a physician and health economist from Stanford University, was strong critic of both COVID-19 vaccine mandates and society-wide lockdowns during the Covid pandemic. Instead, he was a lead author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which supported isolating the most vulnerable in society while allowing others to develop immunity to the virus through exposure.
Congratulations to @DrJBhattacharya on being confirmed as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health (@NIH)! https://t.co/8dqSM9eL21 pic.twitter.com/VsXSXuHa9y
— Jon Hartley (@Jon_Hartley_) March 26, 2025
Journalist Michael Shellenberger wrote, “Congratulations to @DrJBhattacharya & @MartyMakary for becoming our next Director of NIH and Commissioner of FDA, respectively! They were censored and persecuted for being right about Covid. The success of both men is proof that the American dream is alive and well! 👏🩷🇺🇸.”
Congratulations to @DrJBhattacharya & @MartyMakary for becoming our next Director of NIH and Commissioner of FDA, respectively! They were censored and persecuted for being right about Covid. The success of both men is proof that the American dream is alive and well! 👏🩷🇺🇸 https://t.co/O8oIhaP0My pic.twitter.com/AQfwzh0wGB
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) March 26, 2025
Congratulations @DrJBhattacharya on being confirmed to run the NIH! Dr. Bhattacharya will now lead the agency that once called him a “fringe epidemiologist” after co-authoring the Great Barrington Declaration voicing concern about the response to Covid.pic.twitter.com/Qa9n2ZTVco
— Free the People (@freethepeople) March 25, 2025
How it started: Disgraced NIH Director Francis Collins demands a “devastating takedown” of @DrJBhattacharya‘s Great Barrington Declaration that called for covid lockdowns to end.
How it’s going: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is officially on his way to his old office. pic.twitter.com/UlcbGG6P4W
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 25, 2025
Former Fox News journalist Breanna Morello wrote, “Congratulations to Dr. Marty Makary was just CONFIRMED as FDA Commissioner. When I left Fox Corp over the Covid vaccine mandate, he was my only colleague to thank me for sticking up for medical freedom. So I’m thrilled for him!”
Congratulations to Dr. Marty Makary was just CONFIRMED as FDA Commissioner.
When I left Fox Corp over the Covid vaccine mandate, he was my only colleague to thank me for sticking up for medical freedom.
So I’m thrilled for him! pic.twitter.com/3pTyRfpmCo
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) March 26, 2025
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