President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins pancreatic surgeon known for controversial COVID-19 opinions, as FDA commissioner. Makary, chief of Islet Transplant Surgery at Johns Hopkins, has held leadership roles at the WHO’s Patient Safety Program and is a National Academy of Medicine member. He also advises the conservative Paragon Health Institute and appears on Fox News.
Trump stated on Truth Social that the FDA “has lost trust” and needs Makary to “course-correct” under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary. If confirmed, Makary would oversee drug, food, and medical device regulations.
Makary has drawn criticism for claims, including natural immunity being superior to vaccines, herd immunity predictions, and concerns over myocarditis risks after COVID-19 vaccination. Despite controversy, his stance on limited booster use for young people has gained some acceptance.
Makary’s nomination, alongside Kennedy’s, has faced backlash from the scientific community due to their polarizing public health views, particularly Kennedy’s anti-vaccine activism.
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