The US Senate has confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian-American professor of health policy at Stanford University, as the new Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He was confirmed with a 53-47 vote in the 119th Congress' first session.
Bhattacharya, a health economist, was nominated by former US President Donald Trump in November. He is expected to work alongside US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape the NIH and restore it as a "gold standard" institution for medical research.
A prominent researcher, Bhattacharya co-authored the ‘Great Barrington Declaration’ in 2020, which opposed strict lockdowns and advocated for focused protection strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has an extensive background in health policy, biomedical innovation, and the economic impact of government health programs.
During his confirmation hearing, Bhattacharya assured that he had no immediate plans to cut additional NIH staff, although he acknowledged that the decision might not be solely his. His appointment comes after the NIH implemented significant workforce reductions, freezing grant activities and capping research funding for universities.
US Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky congratulated Bhattacharya, stating that his leadership would bring stability and expertise to the NIH. Trump, in his nomination statement, expressed confidence that Bhattacharya and RFK Jr. would collaborate to address America’s major health challenges and “Make America Healthy Again.”
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