During the congressional hearing, Republican lawmakers raised concerns about the public’s trust in the National Institutes of Health. The discussion also touched upon Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plans to overhaul the NIH and other agencies if confirmed as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy’s nomination by President-elect Donald Trump is pending Senate confirmation, which may be more likely with Republicans regaining control of the chamber in January. Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, the current director of the NIH, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies regarding the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The proposed changes to the NIH, including a reduction in the number of institutes and centers, were also a topic of discussion during the hearing. Upon completion, the board will present a final report to the NIH director and the secretary of HHS.
Kennedy expressed his plans to overhaul the NIH to focus on investigating the root causes of the significant rise in autism, autoimmune diseases, and neurodevelopment disorders in recent years. He emphasized the need for major changes within regulatory bodies such as the FDA, CDC, and the Department of Agriculture, stating that they currently prioritize the interests of pharmaceutical and food industries over public health.
Kennedy also proposed the termination of 600 NIH employees involved in vaccine research, with the intention of hiring 600 new staff members. The Epoch Times previously reported that Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a health policy professor at Stanford University and a critic of lockdowns and mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a leading candidate to lead the NIH in the upcoming Trump administration.
During a recent interview on EpochTV’s “American Thought Leaders,” Bhattacharya criticized COVID-19 policies as a major public health error with detrimental effects on both the economy and children. Can you please rewrite this text?
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