Oppose and Vote NO on Bhattacharya for NIH

Today I take pen in hand to write and urge you to oppose and Vote NO on the nomination of Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. As all the other nominees have shown clearly, they are no interested in funding or supporting the vital work of our agencies — agencies designed to take on the very complex work of public health, research, energy, taxation and so on. I am positively livid about the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Trump administration's attacks on biomedical research funding and its attempts to undermine scientific integrity are extremely dangerous. Bhattacharya will no doubt support the ‘policy’ of illegally freezing funds and trying to cap indirect cost rates, and overall wrecking a world class organization and weaken the country. This administration has already jeopardized tens of thousands of NIH grants, putting jobs, research labs, and most crucially, the development of life-saving treatments and cures at risk. This reckless approach threatens America's global leadership in biomedical innovation. Furthermore, I have serious doubts about “Dr.” Bhattacharya's commitment to protecting women's health research from ideological interference, as well as his ability to insulate the prestigious NIH from political patronage in hiring decisions. A robust, well-funded, and ethics-driven NIH is vital for advancing public health and tackling pressing issues like chronic diseases, pandemics, and health disparities. We’ve got some big ones to tackle, right now. We don’t need a witch doctor who spouts nonsense from a lectern at Stanford University. I urge you to reject this nomination and prioritize appointing a Director who will steadfastly defend NIH's scientific integrity, secure adequate funding for groundbreaking research, and uphold the agency's vital mission free from partisan agendas. The well-being of millions hinges on having a strong, independent NIH led by a principled public servant. This nomination poses an unacceptable risk to that critical goal. Reject and Vote NO. Thank you.