Makary’s nomination came as part of a string of health leadership announcements that Trump made on social media yesterday. Trump also wants Dr. Dave Weldon, a former Republican congressman from Florida, to be the next Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, and Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to be U.S. surgeon general.
Makary himself has appeared as a commentator on Fox News and contributed opinion pieces to The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. He’s also authored bestselling books on healthcare reform, including “The Price We Pay,” “Unaccountable,” and the recently published “Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health.”
A member of the elite National Academy of Medicine, Makary also has a reputation for bucking the status quo. For example, he questioned broad vaccine mandates as the COVID-19 pandemic wore on, though he was an early proponent of lockdowns and universal masking.
If confirmed, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be Makary’s boss as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has a history of vaccine skepticism. He’s also suggested a ban on fluoride in drinking water and even called for a major FDA overhaul. According to the New York Times, Kennedy has questioned so-called FDA user fees from drug and medical device companies.
Brian Abrahams, in charge of global health care research at RBC Capital, said in a note to investors that Makary would be less likely to dismantle the FDA compared to Kennedy, though the agency could still move toward a more industry-unfriendly stance, according to the NY Times.
In a statement shared with MassDevice, AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker said:
I know that Dr. Makary, as a renowned surgeon and professor at one of the world’s top universities, understands the value of medical technologies in every health care setting. Access to the latest transformative medical technologies plays a key role in helping Americans to live longer and healthier lives. It is critical that FDA maintain the highest standards for safety and efficacy while ensuring the review process is efficient, transparent, and predictable to ensure every patient has access to the best medical technologies. We congratulate Dr. Makary on his nomination and look forward to his leadership at FDA.
If confirmed by the Senate, Makary would replace Dr. Robert Califf, a Biden appointee who was previously head of medical strategy at Google’s parent company Alphabet and a Duke University professor. At a recent interview at the Friends of Cancer Research annual meeting, Califf said industry support will be the biggest factor in keeping talented employees at the FDA under Trump.
