Jay Bhattacharya Confirmed as NIH Director in Party-Line Senate Vote

The Stanford professor and COVID-19 lockdown critic takes the helm of the NIH, pledging to rebuild trust in science and refocus the agency's priorities.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on March 25, 2025, with a 53-47 party-line vote.
Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, gained prominence for his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates.
He has committed to fostering scientific dissent, addressing chronic diseases, and increasing transparency within the NIH.
The NIH faces significant challenges, including workforce reductions and funding cuts initiated by the Trump administration, which Bhattacharya has pledged to review but not necessarily reverse.
Bhattacharya will collaborate with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to implement the administration's 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda, emphasizing chronic disease research.