Trump promoted that idea, but stiffed antivax activists in his appointments to FDA and CDC.
Now he is nominating a drug company guy to head HHS.
From the White House:
Alex Michael Azar II of Indiana, to be the Secretary of Health & Human Services. Mr. Azar is currently the chairman of Seraphim Strategies, LLC. Mr. Azar has led a notable career by serving in several senior roles in both the public and private sectors. As President of Lilly USA, LLC, the largest affiliate of global biopharmaceutical leader Eli Lilly and Company, he directly led the U.S. Biomedicines business unit, the affiliate’s largest division, encompassing the areas of neuroscience, cardiovascular health, men’s health, musculoskeletal, autoimmune disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and pain, as well as the sales, marketing, and payer operations of the company’s U.S. commercial business. Prior to his time at Lilly USA, Mr. Azar was the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services immediately after serving as its General Counsel, where the Senate confirmed him for both Presidential appointments by voice vote. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and his juris doctorate from Yale University.Eli Lilly is not only a major manufacturer of vaccines, it is the company that developed thimerosal.
Antivax Rep. Dan Burton represented the Indiana district where Lilly is located. He attacked the company, and its executives (though not Azar personally) contributed to his primary opponents in 2010.
The antivax people are probably unhappy.
Trump betrays everybody.
In this case, good!
