President-elect Donald Trump nominates a critic of COVID-19 lockdown policies to head the National Institutes of Health.
In a statement, Trump said he has selected Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to serve as director of the NIH to work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — whom Trump appointed as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. lead the nation’s medical research.
“Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH Gold Standard of Medical Research as they explore the causes and solutions to America’s greatest health challenges, including our chronic disease and disease crisis,” Trump said. statement “Together, they will work hard to make America healthy again!
UNITED STATES – Dr. Jay Bhattacharya speaks to members of the House Freedom Caucus during a panel discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
Bhattacharya is a professor of health policy at Stanford University who gained notoriety for his outspoken opposition to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
In addition to his medical degree, he has a doctorate in economics.
Trump also nominated Jim O’Neil to be deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to “oversee all operations and improve management, transparency and accountability,” according to a statement.
