Jay Bhattacharya becomes leading candidate for NIH Director

Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of health policy at Stanford University, emerged as a prominent opponent of COVID-19 lockdowns and mandates during the pandemic.

The NIH’s substantial $48 billion budget supports medical research on diseases, vaccines, and other health-related areas through competitive grants to researchers nationwide. The institution also conducts its own research with numerous scientists based in NIH labs in Bethesda, Maryland.

“As infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists, we have serious concerns about the harmful effects of current COVID-19 policies,” stated the declaration.

Bhattacharya and his colleagues emphasized the importance of natural immunity in addition to vaccination, especially due to the low risk of severe illness posed by COVID-19 to the young and healthy. They also opposed lockdowns and mask mandates.

Emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed former NIH Director Francis Collins expressing worry about the declaration receiving significant attention.

A study by the University of California Riverside in March 2023 highlighted how lockdowns alone led to a more than 5 percent drop in U.S. gross domestic product and a 7.5 percent decline in consumer spending.

Research at the NIH illustrated how COVID-19 policies adversely affected children, leading to missed socialization opportunities and subsequent developmental delays and disorders.

Bhattacharya criticized senior health officials for disregarding such consequences and promoting a false narrative of consensus in responding to COVID-19.

If Bhattacharya assumes the NIH leadership role, he would report to Kennedy should the latter also secure confirmation. Kennedy has indicated plans to dismiss approximately 600 NIH employees on his first day as HHS Secretary.

The Associated Press and Jeff Louderback contributed to this report.