U.S. Senate Schedules Hearing for New FDA Commissioner
U.S. Senate Schedules Hearing for New FDA Commissioner
Updated at: September 19, 2026 at 01:00 AM
The U.S.
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has scheduled a confirmation hearing for September 24, 2026, to evaluate Dr.
Heidi Overton as the nominee for Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Marty Makary in May 2026, leaving acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas to manage the agency during a tumultuous period.
Overton, a preventive medicine physician and current deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, faces significant scrutiny.
Her nomination comes at a difficult time for the FDA, which has seen over 3,000 employees depart within the last year.
Lawmakers are particularly concerned about high-profile issues such as vaccine policy, the regulation of mifepristone, and allegations of agency politicization.
Specifically, committee chair Bill Cassidy has expressed reservations regarding Dr.
Overton’s previous work on vaccine recommendations.
