The Senate recently confirmed two of President Donald Trump’s selections to key healthcare leadership positions, and legislators are set to weigh in on other nominees.
Here are four updates to know since March 23:
1.On March 25, the Senate confirmed Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, as the director of the National Institutes of Health with a 53-47 vote. Dr. Bhattacharya, a physician, economist and professor at Stanford (Calif.) University’s health policy department, will oversee the NIH’s nearly $50 billion budget dedicated to biomedical and public health research. In his new role, he will guide the agency’s strategic direction, set research priorities and oversee the implementation of nationwide health research initiatives.
2. The Senate also confirmed Marty Makary, MD, as the Food and Drug Administration commissioner in a 56-44 vote. Dr. Makary, a surgical oncologist at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University and chief of islet transplant surgery, will lead the agency, which has a $7.2 billion budget and more than 18,000 employees.
3. On March 25, the Senate Finance Committee advanced the nomination of Mehmet Oz, MD, as the CMS administrator to the full Senate. If confirmed, Dr. Oz would be responsible for overseeing the federal agency that provides healthcare coverage to more than 160 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
4. President Trump on March 24 nominated Susan Monarez, PhD, to lead the CDC after David Weldon, MD, had his nomination withdrawn on March 13 prior to his first confirmation hearing. Dr. Monarez has served as acting CDC director since Jan. 23. She previously served as deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and also held positions with the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Security Council. Dr. Monarez would be the first CDC director to require Senate approval if confirmed.
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