US President-elect Trump names Indian origin Jay Bhattacharya as Director of National Institutes of Health

Bhattacharya said he will reform scientific institutions so that they're 'worthy of trust' again.

"I am thrilled to nominate Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, to serve as Director of the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya will work in cooperation with Robert F Kennedy Jr to direct the Nation's Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives," the statement said.

"Bhattacharya is a Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University, a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economics Research, and a Senior Fellow by courtesy at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, Stanford Freeman Spogli Institute, and the Hoover Institution. He directs Stanford's Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging. His Research focuses on the Health and Well-Being of vulnerable populations, emphasizing the role of Government programs, Biomedical Innovation, and Economics. Jay is a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an alternative to lockdowns proposed in October 2020. His peer- reviewed research has been published in Economics, Statistics, Legal, Medical, Public Health, and Health Policy Journals. He holds an MD and PhD in Economics from Stanford University," the statement added.

Trump's campaign said that Bhattacharya and his team would make 'America healthy again', a play on Trump's catchphrase- 'Make America Great Again'.

"Together, Jay and RFK Jr will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America's biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease. Together, they will work hard to Make America Healthy Again!"

https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1861585082919661935

Bhattacharya thanked Trump for his nomination.

https://x.com/DrJBhattacharya/status/1861586856590320071

In a post on X, he said, "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!"

The NIH, a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation's medical research agency.

Bhattacharya this week met with Robert F Kennedy Jr and impressed him with his ideas to transform the NIH. He outlined a vision for reforming the NIH, calling for a significant shift in the agency's priorities. (ANI)