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What to know about the new nominees
President-elect Trump has announced his picks to lead the FDA and CDC and take on the role of surgeon general. Here’s what to know:
- Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and outspoken critic of parts of the U.S. medical system, is Trump’s pick for FDA commissioner. He’s defended RFK Jr.’s stances before. Trump says he will guide the agency to address “harmful” chemicals and pharmaceuticals to combat childhood chronic illnesses. More.
- Dave Welton is the planned nominee for CDC director. The former Florida congressman is a physician who has questioned vaccine safety and pushed against abortion access. Trump has tasked him with reforming the agency — he’s backed several potential changes throughout the years. More.
- Janette Nesheiwat, a medical doctor and former Fox News contributor, will be nominated to be surgeon general. Nesheiwat does not have a history of criticizing vaccines. She’s currently a medical director at CityMD, an urgent care network. More.
What this means for the FDA
Makary has criticized – sometimes with harsh language – the agency he’s now slated to lead. Those criticisms picked up sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, when the physician argued the FDA wasn’t moving quickly enough to authorize Covid-19 vaccines and treatments.
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