Meet Jay Bhattacharya, Donald Trump's Pick For NIH, Who Had Termed COVID-19 Lockdown As Mistake

President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bhattacharya, a Stanford University professor known for opposing COVID-19 lockdowns, will work alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Both appointments require Senate approval.

"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," Trump stated. "Together, they will work hard to Make America Healthy Again!"

Bhattacharya's Background and Views

Bhattacharya co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration in 2020, advocating against lockdowns during the pandemic. The declaration suggested allowing the virus to spread among younger people to build "herd immunity," while older individuals took precautions. This approach aimed to reduce mortality and social harm until herd immunity was achieved.

The declaration stated: "As immunity builds in the population, the risk of infection to all - including the vulnerable - falls." It emphasized that herd immunity could be reached with or without a vaccine.

Criticism and Support

Dr. Francis Collins, former NIH director from 2009 to 2021, criticized the Great Barrington Declaration as a fringe view aligning with certain political ideologies. Despite this criticism, Bhattacharya remains influential in health policy discussions.

In March 2020, Bhattacharya wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal predicting COVID-19 might cause 20,000 to 40,000 deaths in the U.S. However, over 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID-19 according to recent CDC data.

Professional Affiliations

Bhattacharya holds several positions at Stanford University and other institutions. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economics Research and a senior fellow at multiple Stanford institutes. He also leads Stanford's Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging.

Expressing gratitude for his nomination on X (formerly Twitter), Bhattacharya said he is "honored and humbled" by Trump's decision. He aims to reform American scientific institutions to regain public trust and improve national health outcomes.

Additional Appointments

Trump also selected Jim O'Neill as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services under Kennedy's leadership. O'Neill previously served as principal deputy associate secretary at HHS.

If confirmed, Bhattacharya will oversee NIH's vast operations with its $47.7 billion budget across 27 institutes and centers worldwide.