Heidi Overton, Trump’s FDA nominee, to appear before Senate committee for confirmation hearing

Heidi Overton, a 37‑year‑old preventive‑medicine physician, is the Trump administration’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration and will face a Senate committee this morning.

Lawmakers have expressed concerns about her limited managerial experience and her support for policies advanced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including proposals to alter the childhood vaccine schedule.

If confirmed, Overton would become the youngest FDA commissioner ever, taking charge of an agency that has endured a turbulent 18 months marked by politicized decisions and a nearly 20 percent staff reduction.

The hearing is expected to probe how she plans to restore the agency’s scientific workforce and navigate ongoing regulatory challenges.