President Trump is expected to nominate Heidi Overton, a conservative policy aide and current deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, as the next FDA commissioner. Overton holds a medical degree and a doctoral degree in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins, and was a staunch defender of former FDA commissioner Marty Makary during his controversial tenure.
Background
The FDA has faced significant controversy under former commissioner Marty Makary's tenure, marked by contentious decisions on rare disease drugs and conflicts with multiple stakeholder groups. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine stance as Health Secretary has further shaped the agency's policy direction.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Aug 19, 2026 at 09:54 PM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10