Bhattacharya confirmed as NIH director amid controversy
The Senate confirmed health researcher Jay Bhattacharya as the new director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday. The confirmation passed along party lines with a 53-47 vote.
Bhattacharya gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for opposing masking mandates, school closures, and other public health measures aimed at controlling the virus's spread.
He was a lead author of the Great Barrington Declaration, a 2020 document signed by thousands of public health experts advocating for “herd immunity.” The declaration proposed allowing the virus to spread among lower-risk, younger populations while providing “focused protection” for older and high-risk individuals.
Federal health officials, including former NIH Director Francis Collins and COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci, criticized the approach as dangerous and unethical.
Bhattacharya has said his views made him an outcast in the scientific community. He has indicated that as NIH director, he will encourage open debate on scientific issues, even in areas where extensive research has established consensus, such as the debunked link between the measles vaccine and autism.