Trump has appointed Jay Bhattacharya, a prominent critic of lockdowns and mask mandates, as the new head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and medical doctor, is known for co-authoring the controversial “Great Barrington Declaration” in 2020, which opposed lockdowns and highlighted their negative impact on physical and mental health. The declaration argued that lockdowns led to reduced cancer screenings, worsened mental health, especially among teens, and caused excess mortality. Instead, Bhattacharya and other signatories advocated for protecting high-risk groups while allowing the rest of the population to live normally.
In his new role, Bhattacharya will work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for Health Secretary, to make the NIH a “gold standard” in medical research, tackling chronic diseases and public health crises. Bhattacharya has also criticized former NIH directors, including Anthony Fauci, for suppressing dissenting views during the pandemic, claiming they created a false scientific consensus and stifled debate. He called for reforms in American scientific institutions to restore trust and improve public health.
The NIH, with a budget of $48 billion, is one of the largest research funding agencies in the world, conducting vital research on diseases, human development, and environmental impacts.
