Trump names his picks for FDA, CDC and surgeon general

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced his picks to lead the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as his pick for surgeon general.

Trump, 78, appointed Dr. Marty Makary — a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and contributor to The Post — to serve as FDA commissioner.

Makary has been an outspoken critic of the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, accusing White House officials of pushing “unsupported claims” about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and the dangers posed by the virus.

In his announcement, Trump said the FDA “has lost the trust of the American people and has lost sight of its primary purpose 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,” the president-elect said.

Makary has also railed against prescription drugs, the use of pesticides in food, and the influence that pharmaceutical and insurance companies have over doctors and federal agencies.

Trump indicated that Makary will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services — to “properly evaluate the harmful chemicals poisoning our nation’s food supply and the drugs and biologics administered to our nation’s youth, so that we can finally treat Epidemic of Chronic Childhood Diseases.â€

The president-elect expressed Makary’s commitment to “improving medical quality and lowering hospital and drug costs for all Americans” and his advocacy for “Health Care Transparency.”

Makary has written hundreds of scientific articles and several books on health care.

“I am convinced that Dr. Makary, who has dedicated his career to high-quality, low-cost care, will restore the FDA to the Gold Standard of Scientific Research and cut red tape at the Agency to ensure Americans get cures and treatments the medical care they deserve,” Trump said.

Trump also tapped former Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) to head the CDC on Friday.

The agency has come under fire from Republicans in Congress since the pandemic for its “inconsistent and flawed” guidance on masking, lockdowns, vaccines and boosters and the threat of COVID-19 to children. The agency has also been accused of withholding data about COVID-19 vaccines from Congress.

Weldon, a physician and Army veteran, served seven terms in the House of Representatives before choosing not to seek re-election in 2008.

“Americans have lost faith in the CDC and our Federal Health Authorities, who have engaged in censorship, data manipulation and misinformation,” Trump said of the embattled agency. “Given our nation’s current chronic health crisis, CDC must step up and correct past mistakes to focus on Disease Prevention.

“The current health of Americans is critical, and CDC will play a major role in helping Americans have the tools and resources they need to understand the underlying causes of disease and the solutions to cure these diseases.”

Trump indicated that Weldon “will prioritize Transparency, Competence and High Standards” at the agency and will “proudly restore CDC to its true purpose and work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic and to make America healthy again!”

Rounding out Trump’s weekend picks for health posts is Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, whom he appointed to serve as surgeon general.Â

Nesheiwat is a Fox News medical contributor and medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care clinics in New York and New Jersey.

Trump praised Nesheiwat’s “unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives,” describing her as a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health.

“She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality health care and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their own health to live longer, healthier lives,” the president-elect continued. , noting that Nesheiwat “worked on the front lines in New York City — at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Her expertise and leadership have been essential during some of the most challenging health care crises of our time,” Trump said. “Dr. Janette provided field medical treatment to Americans after Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornadoes. She is also a member of the Samaritan Disaster Relief Team, and has provided life-saving care during crises in Morocco, Haiti and Poland.

“Dr. Nesheiwat will play a key role in MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!â€