- By Aashish Vashistha
- Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:12 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
President-elect Donald Trump has named Dr Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian-origin Stanford academic and prominent critic of US COVID-19 policies, the new Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
With a budget of approximately USD 47.3 billion, the NIH is the leading public funding agency for medical research in the country. Trump highlighted that Dr Bhattacharya, along with Robert F Kennedy Jr, would work to restore the NIH to its "Gold Standard" of medical research.
Their focus will be on investigating the root causes and finding solutions to America's major health issues, including the rising crisis of chronic illnesses and diseases.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Bhattacharya said this team would “reform American scientific institutions" to make the country healthy again. “I am honoured and humbled by President Donald Trump’s nomination of me to be the next National Institutes of Health director. We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again!" he wrote on the microblogging site.
I am honored and humbled by President @realDonaldTrump's nomination of me to be the next @NIH director. We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again! https://t.co/FrLmYznhfw
— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) November 27, 2024
Who Is Jay Bhattacharya
Jay Bhattacharya is a prominent figure in the fields of health policy and economics, known for his extensive academic work and research. Born in Kolkata in 1968, Dr Bhattacharya has made significant contributions to understanding the intersections of healthcare, economics, and aging. He is a Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University, where he also directs the Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging.
Dr Bhattacharya earned his doctorate in medicine from Stanford University in 1997 and followed it up with a Ph.D. in economics from the same institution three years later.
In addition to his academic roles, Dr Bhattacharya serves as a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, where he focuses on the economic aspects of health. His work has influenced discussions on healthcare policy, ageing, and public health economics.
