In a new opinion piece, former Senate staffer Steven Grossman argues that the FDA commissioner's job has become nearly impossible under the current administration, but that nominee Heidi Overton showed at her confirmation hearing the temperament and respect for process that could make her effective. Grossman highlights what he calls Overton's "twin mantra": FDA-approved products remain safe until the agency reviews contrary evidence, and the agency must continue to follow legal standards for safety and efficacy determinations.
Overton acknowledged the safety of all FDA-approved vaccines and specifically addressed the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Grossman notes this was the moment she came closest to directly contradicting President Trump, who recently claimed the trivalent MMR vaccine was lethal. On mifepristone, Overton deflected most questions by arguing that judgment was premature given the product's ongoing safety evaluation.
The author acknowledges weaknesses in Overton's record, including no experience managing a large, complex organization and a narrow range of prior work. Still, he concludes she is sufficiently qualified and closer to the historical norm than her immediate predecessor. The larger concern, he writes, is that Overton would serve under President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who have routinely commented on public health issues without being briefed or possessing independent expertise.