Jayanta Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, on March 5, appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee as the committee considers his nomination to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During the hearing, Bhattacharya’s testimony emphasized academic freedom, transparency, and reproducibility, while committee members pressed the nominee on recent Trump administration actions and their impact on the NIH, including a cap on reimbursement for facilities and administrative costs, personnel eliminations, and delayed study sections and advisory council meetings [refer to Washington Highlights, Feb. 14].
In his opening statement, HELP Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) highlighted the importance of the NIH as an economic driver in Louisiana and across the United States. Cassidy also mentioned his proposal for NIH reform and opportunities to improve trust in the agency [refer to Washington Highlights, May 17, 2024].
Several committee members, including Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), raised concerns about the administration’s attempted 15% cap on facilities and administrative costs, with Collins describing “the devastating impact that this cap would have on lifesaving and life-enhancing biomedical research, on ongoing clinical trials, and on Maine’s research-related jobs.” In response to a question from Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) on a potential new system, Bhattacharya stated, “I don’t know that it would take a new system necessarily. … The broader problem is, we have deep distrust by the American people of universities and the scientific establishment earned during the pandemic. To address that, transparency is the key.”
Democrats also inquired about Bhattacharya’s priorities to support the health of minority populations, while Republicans encouraged him to ban certain types of research, among other topics committee members raised.
Following this hearing, the Senate HELP committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination of Bhattacharya to serve as NIH director on March 13.