President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the nomination of Stanford professor and health policy expert Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The move signals a major shift in the leadership and direction of the United States’ premier medical research institution.
“I am thrilled to nominate Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, to serve as Director of the National Institutes of Health,” Trump said in a statement. “Dr. Bhattacharya will work in coordination with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to direct the Nation’s Medical Research and to make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives. Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a gold standard of medical research.”
Dr. Bhattacharya, who was born in Kolkata in 1968, is a physician and professor at Stanford University, known for his critiques of the U.S. government’s COVID-19 response. Alongside two other scholars, he co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, which advocated for focused protection of vulnerable populations while allowing normal activities for others during the pandemic.
Reacting to the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, Bhattacharya expressed his gratitude and commitment. “I am honored and humbled by President Donald Trump’s nomination of me to be the next NIH director. We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again,” he wrote.
As the head of NIH, Bhattacharya will oversee 27 institutes and centers, driving research on vaccines, chronic diseases, and medical innovations. Reports suggest his tenure will emphasize innovative research funding and reducing the influence of career bureaucrats within the agency.
The nomination comes as part of Trump’s broader healthcare strategy, which includes appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy and Bhattacharya met recently to discuss plans for reforming the NIH, with both expressing alignment on key issues.
Dr. Bhattacharya, a Stanford graduate with both an MD and a PhD in economics, has long championed transparency and evidence-based approaches in public health. His appointment reflects Trump’s pledge to overhaul American health policy and restore public trust in federal health institutions.
The confirmation process for Bhattacharya’s nomination is expected to be closely watched, given his controversial positions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
