Trump’s FDA pick grilled over staff cuts, flu vaccine meeting

Marty Makary, nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has faced rigorous Senate scrutiny over recent agency job cuts and the abrupt cancellation of a flu vaccine advisory meeting.

During his confirmation hearing, Dr Makary acknowledged the staffing reductions but did not commit to reversing them, adding that some of the affected personnel had been working on artificial intelligence and genetic medicine initiatives.

He highlighted that the FDA’s workforce had nearly doubled since 2007 but refrained from taking a definitive stance on the recent staffing cuts. Lawmakers raised concerns that the reductions could delay drug approvals and compromise the oversight of novel therapies.