The Senate confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as NIH head, despite his criticism of pandemic measures.

The Senate confirmed Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and critic of pandemic measures, as the new head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a 53-47 vote. Bhattacharya, known for his opposition to lockdowns and vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, was questioned about potential research funding cuts but did not promise to reverse them. The NIH is facing various challenges including staff layoffs and policy changes since the start of the second Trump administration.