Trump Criticizes Makari, Who Opposed 'Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination,' to FDA Director

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, is expected to nominate Martin Makary, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins University, as the next head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to major foreign media reports on the 20th (local time).

According to sources, Makary is a figure who emphasized natural immunity and opposed mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, raising various public health concerns during the pandemic. He criticized the FDA's vaccine approval process and lack of transparency, calling for greater openness regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

The FDA, under the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for regulating the safety and effectiveness of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and more within the United States. Its budget is approximately $7 billion.

Earlier, Makary appeared on Fox News and defended Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services, saying, "He is no longer opposed to vaccines." In his recent book, he criticized the widespread overtreatment in the United States and also argued for reducing the overuse of antibiotics and reforming medical education.