Commissioner Nominee’s Role in Vaccine Policy Overhaul Questioned

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton played a more prominent role than earlier disclosed in developing the scientific justification for the Trump administration’s controversial decision to reduce the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccines, according to a report by Semafor.

Overton, a White House Domestic Policy Council aide, helped draft and edit the rationale used to reduce the number of vaccines recommended by CDC from 17 to 11 in January, Semafor reported, citing a senior administration official and three people familiar with the process. “It was Heidi driving this whole thing,” a former senior administration official told Semafor, adding that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supported the initiative.

According to the report, Overton spent much of fall 2025 coordinating discussions among senior health officials, including Kennedy, then-FDA commissioner Marty Makary, CMS head Mehmet Oz and NIH director Jay Bhattacharya.

Overton’s involvement could complicate her confirmation prospects. During last month’s hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) questioned whether she would defend established vaccine safety standards against political pressure (see earlier story).

“Every vaccine on the US market right now is safe and effective according to the FDA,” Overton told Cassidy. Asked whether she would resist a presidential directive that conflicted with her commitments, Overton responded, “I would give him my best advice.”

Administration officials defended Overton’s involvement, telling Semafor that she was implementing presidential policy rather than advancing her personal views on vaccination.

The HELP Committee did not vote on Overton’s nomination before leaving Washington earlier this month, leaving consideration of her confirmation until the lame-duck session.

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FDA Warns Baxter Over GMP Issues at Injectable Drug Plant

Senators Urge FDA to Crack Down on ‘Research Use Only’ Drugs

FDA Guidance on Drug-Related Software, Labeling Requirements

Device QMSR Fears Easing: Panel