Donald Trump appoints Jay Bhattacharya as head of US National Institutes of Health

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Jay Bhattacharya as the new head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor, is known for his critical views on Covid-19 policies. Born in Kolkata in 1968, Bhattacharya holds an MD and PhD from Stanford. He focuses on health policy and the well-being of vulnerable populations, linking economics and public health. During the pandemic, he co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration, advocating for fewer restrictions. He has also challenged government actions regarding Covid-19 and filed a lawsuit over censorship of his views.