FDA commissioner nominee Dr. Heidi Overton appears for confirmation hearing

Overton has been Trump's deputy assistant during his second term. Dr. Heidi Overton is appearing before a Senate committee on Thursday for her confirmation hearing as the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Overton was nominated in August by President Donald Trump, who described her in a post on social media as a "ROCKSTAR in my Administration." She is sitting before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, where she is likely to face questions about childhood vaccines and the abortion drug mifepristone . If confirmed, Overton will be the second person to lead the FDA after the previous commissioner, Marty Makary, resigned following public clashes with lawmakers, major pharmaceutical companies and Trump over fruit-flavored vapes. Kyle Diamantas has served as acting FDA commissioner since May 2026. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the HELP committee, began the hearing by asking Overton if the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine Is lethal. Overton replied it is not. When asked if the vaccine is safe and effective, Overton reiterated that the vaccine is safe and effective against measles. "Are there any vaccines on the U.S. market right now which are unsafe?" Cassidy asked. "Senator, every vaccine on the U.S. market right now is safe and effective, according to the FDA," Overton said.

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