New US FDA commissioner, Dr. Martin Makarty, said he would follow the "scientific process" at FDA. Photo credit: Wikipedia
Dr. Martin Makary has been confirmed by the US Senate as the new commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. Makary's medical career includes election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2018. Makary first caught the attention of the Trump administration due to his perspectives on the Covid-19 pandemic—supporting vaccinations while opposing mandates.
The Senate also confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bhattacharya, a physician and professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, was also a critic of vaccine mandates during the pandemic.
Both were confirmed largely along party lines. Makary was confirmed as FDA commissioner by a vote of 56-44, while Bhattacharya was confirmed as NIH director by a margin of 53-47.
Both agencies are part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which like much of the federal government, has seen mass layoffs as part of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to implement budget cuts using the White House's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, led by billionaire Elon Musk.
Last week, officials with several HHS agencies, led by the recently confirmed Robert Kennedy Jr., told CBS News they were bracing for further layoffs, including at FDA and NIH. One person told CBS News up to 3,800 NIH employees could be let go.
Makary, a Johns Hopkins University surgeon and cancer researcher, 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, though he was not opposed to the Covid-19 vaccine, Makary had concerns about vaccinations in young children.
Makary was part of a vocal group of physicians calling for greater emphasis on herd immunity to stop the virus, or the idea that mass infections would quickly lead to population-level protection.
Makary has criticized in books and articles the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods, and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators.
During his March 6 confirmation hearing, Makary repeatedly assured Republican and Democratic senators he would follow the "scientific process" at FDA. His stance on nicotine product regulation remains uncertain. It is concerning that vocal anti-nicotine advocate Sen. Dick Durbin was one of only three Democrat senators to vote for Makary. However, no Democrats voted in favor of Bhattacharya.
When questioned by Sen. Ashley Moody about his approach to curbing the influx of illegal flavored vaping products from China on March 6, Makary indicated that increased enforcement, potentially with the assistance of the Department of Justice, might be necessary.
In September 2024, President Donald Trump wrote that if reelected he would “save vaping again,” despite the fact that it was during his first term that FDA initially imposed bans on flavored vape pods.
Vaping regulation continues to be a challenging area for FDA, particularly as debates intensify within certain factions of the Republican party over the influence of Chinese manufacturers.
Shortly after Trump resumed office, both FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services suspended progress on several significant tobacco regulations. These included proposals to ban menthol cigarettes, flavored cigars, and new rules governing nicotine limits and tobacco production facilities.