Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor and promoter of the controversial Great Barrington Declaration during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been nominated to lead the NIH, a position previously held by Francis Collins, who criticized Bhattacharya's ideas as fringe. This dramatic shift raises questions about scientific governance and the evolving landscape of public health policy. Senators have praised Bhattacharya for his resilience against what he calls a propaganda attack on his views. His nomination reflects the tensions in U.S. health policy and challenges to traditional epidemiological practice in light of the pandemic.
Francis Collins, then director of the NIH, labeled Jay Bhattacharya a 'fringe epidemiologist' for advocating looser public health restrictions during the pandemic, which has now turned into a narrative supporting Bhattacharya's nomination.
Bhattacharya deemed the backlash he received from the NIH as a 'propaganda attack' by the biomedical establishment, transforming Collins's insults into a badge of honor in his new role.
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