Executive Branch

Senate Confirms Bhattacharya as NIH Chief

The former Stanford University professor was outspoken about COVID-19 pandemic measures.
Senate Confirms Bhattacharya as NIH Chief
Jay Bhattacharya, nominee for director of National Institutes of Health, testifies during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 5, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
Jeff Louderback
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Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who was an outspoken critic of measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, gained Senate confirmation to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a vote of 53–47 on March 25.

Bhattacharya is aligned on multiple issues with his new boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including addressing the nation’s chronic disease epidemic.

Jeff Louderback
Jeff Louderback
Reporter
Jeff Louderback covers major news and politics, including the Make America Healthy Again movement and regenerative farming. Since joining The Epoch Times in 2022, he has covered national elections, the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. presidential campaign, the East Palestine train derailment, and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. Jeff has 30-plus years of professional experience as a reporter, editor, and author.