Trump Names Heidi Overton to Lead FDA Amid Staff Exodus, Vaccine and Drug Approval Controversies
Washington: US President Donald Trump named White House policy aide Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration, turning to an "America First" ally to steady an agency shaken by staff losses, low morale and fights over vaccines, the abortion pill and drug approvals.
Trump's previous FDA commissioner, Marty Makary, resigned in May after 13 months in the job, following clashes with White House officials over flavored vapes, a stalled abortion-pill safety study and public disagreements with drugmakers such as Replimune, Sarepta and Moderna over reviews of potentially lifesaving medicines and vaccines.
The choice of Overton, an ally of Makary, may deepen concerns among drugmakers and some FDA staff seeking stability after months of upheaval. Chris Meekins, a former Trump health official who is now an analyst at Raymond James, said industry groups are likely to view Overton's lack of management experience negatively and warned her appointment could accelerate staff departures and reverse progress made since Makary's exit.
Overton, a doctor by training who serves as deputy director of the White House domestic policy council, must be approved by the U.S. Senate. She previously worked at the America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank.
"She is known to take on the HARDEST issues, and bring me solutions that work best for the Country," Trump wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. "We need her leadership at the FDA now to ensure that the U.S. remains the WORLD LEADER for Scientific Discovery and CURES."
FDA FACES NUMEROUS CHALLENGES
The FDA has faced numerous challenges in Trump's second term, including an exodus of experts and top talent and plummeting morale after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired thousands of people across the health department.
The agency, which is responsible for regulating and approving all drugs, treatments and vaccines, has lost more than 3,000 staff over the past year, including division heads, and is under pressure to rebuild confidence among industry and public-health groups.
