Trump taps Heidi Overton as next FDA Commissioner
President Donald Trump has named White House aide Heidi Overton to lead the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Overton will fill the position previously held by Marty Makary, who left the agency in May. This announcement was made on Trump's Truth Social account on 19 August. Her nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate.
As a member of the Trump Administration, Overton “has worked directly with Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and team, to deliver on the MOST TRANSFORMATIVE health agenda in history,” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “She is known to take on the HARDEST issues, and bring me solutions that work best for the Country….We need her leadership at the FDA now.”
FDA has spent much of the past year managing job cuts and disease outbreaks. Recently, Overton appeared with Trump at a press conference where they discussed an executive order to separate the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three individual shots.
According to her profile on the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Overton is currently deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Previously, she served as chief policy officer and vice chair of the Center for a Healthy America at AFPI.
Before joining AFPI, Overton was a general surgery resident at Johns Hopkins University, where she also obtained a PhD in clinical investigation. She graduated from medical school at the University of New Mexico.
Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) said the group supports the nomination.
“We look forward to continuing our work with FDA under Dr. Overton’s leadership if she is confirmed by the Senate. As a medical doctor with a background in public health, she has a deep understanding of the critical role medical technology plays in lowering cost and improving patient outcomes. The transformative nature of medtech helps ensure that patients are in control of their own health and doctors are empowered to treat patients with the most innovative technologies. It is essential that we continue the progress we have made to ensure that transparency, consistency, and predictability remain the hallmarks of the review process at CDRH.”
Whitaker also praised Kyle Diamantas for his “steady leadership” during this transition.
