ARTICLE | Politics, Policy & Law
Abortion, vaccine politics overshadow votes on heads of FDA, NIH
Senate committee endorsement of Makary at FDA and Bhattacharya at NIH came after resignation of FDA chief counsel, withdrawal of CDC director nominee
March 13, 2025 11:59 PM UTC
The Trump administration abruptly abandoned two high-profile health appointments Thursday amid heated controversies over abortion and vaccine misinformation, overshadowing a Senate committee’s endorsement of nominees for FDA commissioner and NIH director. The swift reversals highlight the White House’s improvisational approach to public health and its reflexive responses to political pressure from conservatives.
Hilary Perkins resigned as FDA chief counsel just two days after her appointment, following sharp criticism by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) over Perkins’ past defense of Biden administration policies related to abortion and vaccine mandates. ...