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2mo ago

Jay Bhattacharya Advances in Confirmation as NIH Director Despite Past Controversies

The Senate hearing for Trump's NIH nominee highlights his pandemic-era positions and lack of opposition from Democrats.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is President Donald Trump's nominee to be director of the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya appeared before the Senate Help, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for his confirmation hearing to be NIH director.
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Overview

  • Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, testified before the Senate Health Committee as President Trump's pick to lead the NIH.
  • Bhattacharya's confirmation hearing avoided substantive debate on his controversial pandemic-era stances, including opposition to lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
  • Democrats focused on maintaining NIH funding for state research centers, while Republican senators briefly addressed Bhattacharya's pandemic policies.
  • Critics highlight Bhattacharya's association with PANDA, a South African group that downplayed COVID-19 severity and promoted conspiracy theories about global crises.
  • Bhattacharya pledged to restore public trust in science, emphasizing free speech, dissent in research, and addressing chronic disease crises in his NIH leadership vision.