Announcing the nomination on Truth Social, President-elect Trump stated: “FDA has lost the trust of Americans, and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator. The Agency needs Dr. Marty Makary, a Highly Respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the Agency.
“He will work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to, among other things, properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation’s food supply and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation’s youth, so that we can finally address the Childhood Chronic Disease Epidemic.”
According to his profile on the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, Dr. Makary is a surgeon and public policy researcher who is the author of Unaccountable and The Price We Pay, both of which made the New York Times bestselling list. He has also held leadership positions at the World Health Organization Patient Safety Program and has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Commenting on the news, Loren Israelsen, founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), told NutraIngredients: “Unlike previous FDA Commissioners, Dr. Makary (a surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins) has been very open about his criticism of the government’s failure to prioritize chronic disease and is quoted as saying: ‘The greatest perpetrator of misinformation has been the U.S. government with the food pyramid...we have the most over-medicated, sickest population in the world, and no one is talking about root causes. We have poisoned our food supply’.
“He has committed to working closely with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., should he be confirmed as Secretary of HHS. This suggests a very different view of how FDA should be focus its resources. Certainly the reorganized Human Foods Program under Jim Jones would be given full support and a priority position within the new FDA. We look forward to working with Dr. Makary, should he be confirmed.”
“Strengthening oversight and maintaining the highest standards for dietary supplements”
Steve Mister, President and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), congratulated Dr. Makary on his nomination.
“CRN looks forward to working with him and his team to advance the agency’s important work in protecting public health,” said Mister in a statement.
“In particular, we are eager to collaborate on ways to find regulatory efficiencies within the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), ensuring it continues to serve consumers effectively in today’s marketplace. At the same time, we welcome opportunities to engage with the FDA on strengthening oversight and maintaining the highest standards for dietary supplements and functional nutrition products.
“We are optimistic that under Dr. Makary’s leadership, the FDA will foster innovation while maintaining a commitment to safety, transparency, and accountability. CRN stands ready to partner with the FDA to advance policies that benefit consumers and the industry alike.”
In a statement, Scott Melville, President & CEO of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), said his organization welcomes the nomination.
“Dr. Makary has strong academic and medical credentials, made extensive contributions to scholarly and professional publications, and has stated his commitment to evidence-based medicine. CHPA specifically hopes this nomination will help further FDA’s mission to protect and promote public health with more evidence-based self-care options for consumers.
“We look forward to learning more about Dr. Makary’s positions and priorities on OTC drugs, dietary supplements, and OTC medical devices as he proceeds through the confirmation process.”
Pharma’s response
The pharma industry has also reacted positively to the news, with STAT running an article with the headline, “‘We dodged a bullet’: Biotech and pharma react to selection of Marty Makary for FDA commissioner”. “Many appear cautiously optimistic about Trump’s intended pick,” added the article.
Endpoint News noted, “Biotech stocks are up, and executives are (mostly) relieved”.