Dr. Heidi Overton, a White House adviser who helped shape several health policies, appeared before the Senate Health Committee on Thursday to discuss her nomination to lead the Food and Drug Administration. She defended the safety of established immunizations while senators questioned the administration’s recent push to separate and space routine childhood vaccines.
Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the committee, urged Overton to refute the president’s claim that the combined measles, mumps and rubella shot could be lethal. Overton replied that every vaccine currently on the market, including the MMR vaccine, has been determined to be safe and effective by the FDA.
The hearing also focused on abortion medication mifepristone. Overton, who previously described the mail‑delivery option for the drug as “dangerous to women,” stated that the medication has met the FDA’s safety and efficacy determinations. Senator Patty Murray asked that the agency rely on science, to which Overton replied she would not pre‑judge the ongoing review.
Senators examined the FDA’s approval of flavored electronic cigarettes, a policy that had been restricted in earlier presidential terms. Overton explained that scientific staff concluded the fruit‑flavored devices met the regulatory test for public health protection by helping adult smokers quit.
Overton’s confirmation will require a majority of the 21 health‑panel members before a full Senate vote. She brings a medical and research background but lacks experience managing a large agency, a challenge that may be compounded by the administration’s competing priorities and the agency’s recent staff reductions.
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