Trump taps White House aide as FDA commissioner

Trump taps White House aide as FDA commissioner. Add Axios as your preferred source to.

Key points

• The other side: Brian Blase, president of the Paragon Health Institute, called Overton a "great choice."
• Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration, Trump posted on Truth Social.
• "Heidi has the highest character and is dedicated to improving American well-being and helping American patients get the best possible care, " Blase wrote on X.
• Her participation in last week's vaccine event could in particular anger outgoing Senate health committee chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.).
• What we're watching: Whether Overton faces resistance from senators who'll have to vote on her nomination.

What he's saying: " Dr. Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration, " Trump posted on Truth Social. "She is known to take on the HARDEST issues, and bring me solutions that work best for the Country."

"We need her leadership at the FDA now to ensure that the U.S. Remains the WORLD LEADER for Scientific Discovery and CURES."

Context: Overton, at present deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, was one of a number of candidates that the White House had been considering for weeks.

Though other top FDA positions still don't have permanent leadership, the senior administration official remarked more decisions will probable follow closely behind. Bloomberg first documented that Overton was the president's choice.

In practice, the intrigue: Overton appeared at last week's signing of an executive order calling for an overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule, including slimming down the number of federally recommended shots and splitting up the MMR vaccine into three different shots.

"We do still recommend the measles vaccine for all children, but we want parents to be informed about the timing and to have the option to separate them out, " Overton remarked at the event.

Though acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas has taken major steps toward repairing the agency's relationship with industry, between the lines: Overton may not offer the reassurance the pharmaceutical industry was looking for in new leadership.

What they're saying: "Overton has degrees but seemingly no real experience running anything. Her claim to fame is having been a Makary protege who has purchased further into anti-science and anti-vaccine messaging of elements of MAHA, " Raymond James analyst and former Trump health official Chris Meekins informed Axios.

"Industry will view this pick as extremely troublesome and FDA career staff will continue to flee the agency. Any progress created since Makary's departure is anticipated to be immediately reversed if she is confirmed."

Meanwhile, the other side: Brian Blase, president of the Paragon Health Institute, called Overton a "great choice."

Her participation in last week's vaccine event could in particular anger outgoing Senate health committee chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.). This person called the executive order "wrong." This story has been updated with Trump's announcement.

In short, trump taps White House aide as FDA commissioner is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.