Official NIH policy announcements and public statements

Trump Picks Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya, COVID-19 Lockdown Critic, as NIH Director

Nov 27, 2024, 02:24 AM

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to serve as the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation's leading medical research agency with a budget of approximately $47.3 billion. Bhattacharya, an Indian-American scientist and Stanford University professor, is a prominent critic of U.S. COVID-19 policies, including lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, advocating for focused protection of vulnerable populations while allowing others to continue normal activities. Trump stated, 'Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research.' Bhattacharya's appointment suggests a potential shift in federal health policy, with plans to reform American scientific institutions alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr.