Trump nominates Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead National Institutes of Health

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health, marking a shift towards critics of COVID-19 health measures. This follows a pattern of appointing medical contrarians to key health positions. Bhattacharya, known for opposing lockdowns, joins a team that includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who aims to reform federal health agencies. Their agenda contrasts sharply with Trump’s previous focus on deregulation in the health sector. The new nominees lack extensive experience in managing large agencies but are aligned with Kennedy's plans to change health priorities, including reducing food additives and addressing conflicts of interest in health research.