Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of health policy at Stanford University, has been a vocal opponent of government-imposed lockdowns and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is now being considered as a potential candidate to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the next Trump administration, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Bhattacharya was a prominent figure who spoke out against COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates throughout the pandemic. His consideration for the NIH director position was first reported by The Washington Post, following Trump’s nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
If Bhattacharya is selected and confirmed to lead the NIH, he would oversee 27 institutes and centers focusing on various health issues, including cancer, aging, and drug abuse. This would also include the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, previously headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci.
The agency’s substantial $48 billion budget supports medical research on diseases like cancer and vaccines through competitive grants to researchers nationwide. Additionally, the NIH conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland.
In October 2020, Bhattacharya co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration with experts from Harvard University and Oxford University. The declaration, which attracted hundreds of thousands of signatures, called for an end to COVID-19 lockdowns, which had been in place for most of 2020.
As an infectious disease epidemiologist and public health scientist, Bhattacharya expressed concerns about the adverse health impacts of prevailing COVID-19 policies. He emphasized the importance of natural immunity through infection, particularly for young and healthy individuals, in addition to vaccines.
Bhattacharya and his co-authors were critical of both lockdowns and mask mandates, advocating for a different approach to managing the pandemic. Their viewpoints attracted attention and debate among health officials, as revealed in emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Bhattacharya has been vocal about his belief that COVID-19 policies, including lockdowns, have been a significant public health mistake with far-reaching consequences. Research has shown that lockdowns alone led to economic declines and negative impacts on children’s development and well-being.
If Bhattacharya is appointed to lead the NIH, he would work under Kennedy if the latter is also confirmed. Kennedy has proposed significant changes to the NIH’s focus on addressing issues like autism, autoimmune diseases, and neurodevelopment disorders.
Overall, Bhattacharya’s potential leadership at the NIH reflects a shift towards a different approach to public health policy, emphasizing a balance between addressing the pandemic and its broader impacts on society.
The Associated Press and Jeff Louderback contributed to this report.
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