Heidi Overton, as his next choice to lead the Food and Drug Administration, people familiar with the matter said. President Trump has selected one of his top White House health aides, Dr.
Overton’s Nomination Faces Mixed Reactions Amid Industry Concerns
Dr. Overton, previously trained under Dr. Makary at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is set to undergo Senate confirmation. She will appear before the Senate’s health committee, chaired by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), who has criticized recent vaccine policies from the Trump administration.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly supported Overton, but some of his allies have expressed dissatisfaction, claiming she has hindered the implementation of certain Make America Healthy Again initiatives. Although she initially resisted deregulating marijuana and promoting psychedelics, sources indicate she ultimately expedited Trump’s executive order on psychedelics.
Opposition to her nomination has emerged from segments of the pharmaceutical industry, who perceive her as being too closely aligned with Dr. Makary. In addition, Rep. Buddy Carter (R., Ga.), a pharmacist, was mentioned as a contender for the position, showing interest, according to sources.
Overton holds a medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and a doctorate in clinical investigation from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
