Paper raises concerns about NIH director nominee’s scientific judgment: an Editor’s Commentary

A new paper co-authored by Jay Bhattacharya, President Donald Trump’s nominee for NIH director, distorts data on mRNA COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and recommends policies that, if they had been adopted, would have sharply reduced access to vaccines during the worst days of the pandemic. The paper, published Jan. 30, raises questions about Bhattacharya’s scientific judgment, how he would respond to a public health emergency — and whether he’s prepared to move past the pandemic experience to focus on strengthening the world’s largest biomedical research funder. 

The paper is important because Bhattacharya was catapulted to national prominence on the strength of his critiques of the government’s pandemic policies. As NIH director, he would have a key role in leading the response to new public health emergencies. ...