The Johns Hopkins surgeon and researcher is aligned with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again platform.
Dr. Marty Makary, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, was confirmed by the Senate in a 56–44 vote on March 25.
Makary is aligned with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again platform and shares his focus on vaccine safety, addressing the nation’s chronic disease epidemic, removing chemicals and toxins from food, and bringing transparency to government health agencies.
“Childhood obesity is not a willpower problem, and the rise of early-onset Alzheimer’s is not a genetic cause. We should be, and we will be, addressing food as it impacts our health,” Makary said earlier this month.
“Thanks to the courage of President Trump and Secretary Kennedy, we now have a generational opportunity to usher in radical transparency to facilitate more cures, meaningful treatments, and diagnostics at the FDA to help people take care of their own health,” Makary added.
When the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted to advance Makary to the Senate floor for a full vote earlier this month, chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is also a physician, said that “we’re at a critical moment in public health” and that the American people’s trust in public health institutions must be restored.
“We need public health leaders committed to transparency and finding unbiased solutions to Americans’ most challenging health problems. Dr. Bhattacharya and Dr. Makary have demonstrated that they are ready to take on this responsibility,” Cassidy said.
“[Makary] committed to promoting medical innovation while upholding the FDA’s gold standard of review so Americans can benefit from the latest life-saving medicines and devices [if he is confirmed].”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed reservations about confirming Makary in his remarks before the committee vote.
“The FDA was established by Congress to regulate prescription drugs and the food that we eat, among many other things. According to the FDA website, its mission is to make medical products more effective, safer, and more affordable,” Sanders said.
