A recent Washington Post report suggests that Jay Bhattacharya may be a leading candidate for the position of National Institutes of Health (NIH) director under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
The report, published on Saturday, cites three sources familiar with the matter. It mentions that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently met with Bhattacharya, discussing potential reforms for the NIH.
Bhattacharya, a Stanford-trained physician and economist, has advocated for a shift in the NIH’s focus towards funding more innovative research and reducing the influence of some of its long-serving career officials.
Trump selected Kennedy earlier this month to head HHS, which oversees the NIH and other health agencies. This nomination came after criticism from many experts, especially regarding Kennedy’s controversial stance on vaccines.
Dr. Krishanthi Subramaniam, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, expressed concern over Kennedy’s appointment, citing his history of vaccine denial and misinformation. She warned that his leadership could exacerbate vaccine hesitancy, leading to potential outbreaks of preventable diseases in the U.S. and beyond.
