00:02President Trump has picked Dr. Heidi Overton to run the Food and Drug Administration and her
00:08confirmation fight is already taking shape. Overton is a physician and top White House
00:14domestic policy aide who regularly briefs the president on health issues. She's also become a
00:19familiar face alongside Trump as he pushes some of his biggest changes to American health policy.
00:24Just last week, Overton stood with President Trump as he signed an executive order aimed at
00:30reducing the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccinations. Now Trump wants her
00:35running the FDA, referring to Overton as a rock star on Truth Social and saying Health Secretary
00:41Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently called her always right. But she will first need Senate confirmation
00:48and one important Republican is already raising serious concerns. Senator Bill Cassidy, who chairs
00:54the committee that would consider her nomination, pointed directly to her role in the vaccine
00:59order, calling it nonsensical and saying that alone is almost disqualifying. Overton could
01:05also face questions about abortion. Before joining the White House, she celebrated the Supreme Court
01:10decision overturning Roe versus Wade. And that's especially relevant now because the FDA is reviewing
01:16the safety of mifepristone, the widely used abortion pill. If confirmed, Overton would replace Dr.
01:23Marty Makari, who resigned in May after clashes with the White House over issues including vaping policy
01:29and access to abortion pills.
01:34Ever wonder what we learned that doesn't make it into a two-minute story?
01:38That's what Offscript is all about. Longer conversations, extra reporting.
01:42And then to make things more complicated, environmental factors often interact with genetics.
01:47And the context behind the headlines from the people who know the stories best.
01:51President Trump chose to go to Michigan and make his presence felt and make himself part
01:56of the conversation there.
01:58Unbiased updates Offscript, Thursdays at Straight Arrow.
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