Trump Nominates Makari, Who Criticized 'Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination,' as FDA Director

Martin Makary, Surgeon at Johns Hopkins University

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has nominated Martin Makary, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, as the next head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

On the 22nd (local time), Trump issued a statement saying, "The FDA has lost the trust of the American people and its primary mission as a regulatory agency," adding, "Makary, a pioneer in public health, cancer management, and surgery, will set the agency back on course if confirmed."

Martin Makary, Surgeon at Johns Hopkins University. Johns Hopkins University

Trump emphasized, "Above all, he will work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to properly evaluate harmful chemicals contaminating the U.S. food supply and the drugs and biological products administered to American youth, ultimately addressing the epidemic of chronic childhood diseases."

Makary has raised various public health concerns during the pandemic, emphasizing natural immunity and opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates. He has criticized the FDA for delays in vaccine approval processes and lack of transparency, calling for openness regarding vaccine safety and efficacy.

Operating under the Department of Health and Human Services, the FDA regulates the safety and effectiveness of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and more within the United States, with a budget of approximately $7 billion. If confirmed by Congress, Makary will work alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a "vaccine skeptic" whom Trump has selected as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Previously, Makary appeared on Fox News defending Kennedy Jr., stating, "He is no longer opposed to vaccines." In his recent book, he criticized the widespread over-treatment in the U.S. and advocated for reducing the overuse of antibiotics and reforming medical education.