WASHINGTON (WISH) — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as the next leader of the National Institutes of Health in a 53-47 party-line vote. Bhattacharya, a health researcher and Stanford economist, became well-known during the COVID-19 pandemic for his outspoken criticism o f public health measures such as mask mandates and school closures. He was one of the primary authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, a controversial document published in late 2020. The declaration argued for achieving “herd immunity” by allowing the virus to spread among lower-risk, younger people, while providing “focused protection” for older, high-risk populations. The declaration sparked backlash from prominent public health officials, including former NIH Director Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, who condemned the document as dangerous and unethical. Despite the criticism, Bhattacharya has remained a vocal advocate for scientific dissent. In his confirmation hearing earlier this month, he stated his commitment to fostering a culture at the NIH that encourages differing perspectives, even when consensus exists on issues like the debunked link between the measles vaccine and autism. “Dissent is the very essence of science,” Bhattacharya said. “I will foster a culture where NIH leadership will actively encourage different perspectives and create an environment where scientists — including early career scientists — can express disagreement respectfully.” Bhattacharya will now lead the largest funder of biomedical research in the world. The NIH allocates nearly $48 billion annually to scientific research, supporting over 50,000 grants for more than 300,000 researchers across 2,500 institutions worldwide. The agency, however, faces significant challenges due to actions taken during the Trump administration, including mass staff firings, funding cuts, and restrictions on grants. Under the current administration, private universities have seen a $4 billion reduction in funding, and projects addressing racial inequities and transgender healthcare have been defunded. During his confirmation hearing, Bhattacharya acknowledged that science and public health have become increasingly politicized, leading to diminished trust in experts. He stressed that NIH research should be “replicable, reproducible, and generalizable,” adding that much of modern biomedical science does not meet these standards. He also expressed his support for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to shift the focus of NIH research from infectious diseases to chronic illnesses. “If confirmed, I will carry out President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s agenda of ‘Making America Healthy Again’ and committing the NIH to address the dire chronic health needs of the country with gold-standard science and innovation,” Bhattacharya said. CDC to recover $11.4B in COVID-19 funds from state, local health departments ...read more read less