Trump picks White House adviser Heidi Overton to run FDA, source says
XLV•Trump chooses Overton to lead FDA
U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen White House policy aide Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, months after previous chief Marty Makary quit.
If approved by the Senate, Overton will take over an FDA that has lost more than 3,000 staff, including division heads, over the past year, and is under pressure to rebuild confidence among industry and public-health groups amid concerns the regulator has become too political.
Makary’s tenure and recent FDA actions
Makary drew criticism for his handling of the reintroduction of flavored vapes into the U.S. market, a stalled abortion-pill review and public disagreements with drugmakers such as Replimune REPL.O, Sarepta SRPT.O and Moderna MRNA.O over reviews of potentially lifesaving medicines and vaccines.
