President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Heidi Overton to serve as the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Overton, a surgeon currently serving as the deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy, would lead an agency of approximately 18,000 employees responsible for regulating food, drugs, medical devices, tobacco, and other products. She would fill the vacancy created by Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned in May after 13 months in the role.
Overton has been a key figure in the administration's health policy, including the development of an August 10 executive order that proposed reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines and allowing parents to space out shots. Before joining the White House, Overton worked at the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-aligned think tank, where she authored papers questioning the safety of medication abortion and opposing gender-affirming care for minors.
The nomination faces immediate scrutiny in the Senate. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, stated on Wednesday that Overton's role in the vaccine executive order "calls into question her commitment to standing up for sound science" and is "almost disqualifying." Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) also pledged to oppose the nomination, describing Overton as an extremist regarding medication abortion. The White House defended the choice, stating Overton's work is "grounded in Gold Standard Science."
The scale of the agency involves a staff of 18,000 and the management of user fees from the private sector that fund approximately half of the FDA’s product review work. If confirmed, Overton would oversee the negotiation of these fees with drug and medical device manufacturers. The proposed changes to the vaccine schedule, which Overton described as "historic," would involve unbundling combined shots like the MMR vaccine. Public health experts cited by the reports noted this could raise costs for healthcare providers and increase the likelihood that children miss doses, though the specific per-household cost increase is not yet reported.
Overton’s nomination also signals potential federal action on the distribution of mifepristone, a drug used in more than two-thirds of U.S. abortions. As commissioner, she would have the authority to review and potentially restrict the drug's distribution by mail, a policy she advocated for while at the America First Policy Institute. The next steps for the nomination include a hearing and vote by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; if the committee does not advance the nomination, it will not reach the full Senate for a final confirmation vote. A date for these proceedings has not been announced.