Washington D.C. – Trump nominee for FDA Commissioner, Heidi Overton, put on a highly polished performance for members of the Senate HELP Committee designed to distract from her clear intention of carrying water for the Trump-RFK Jr anti-science, anti-vax, pro-child-nicotine-addiction agenda.
Today, Overton claimed to believe all vaccines on the market today are safe despite taking part in Donald Trump’s highly controversial event last month that baselessly elevated fear about the MMR vaccine in the middle of a record-breaking measles crisis. When pressed, Overton tellingly refused to say Donald Trump was wrong when he ignored the science and lied that the MMR vaccine is ‘lethal’ to children, that Tylenol causes autism, or that kids receive soda bottle-sized injections.
Overton also alarmingly defended the Trump FDA’s move to open the floodgates to more harmful fruit flavored vapes and keep many on the market before even getting final authorization – claiming the move benefits adults when, in reality, the products are specifically designed to appeal to kids.
Brad Woodhouse, president of Protect Our Care: “Just like RFK Jr before her, Dr. Overton told Senators whatever they wanted to hear to cover up her clear anti-vax bent. Just last month, Overton stood alongside Donald Trump as he enshrined dangerous lies about the measles vaccine during a historic measles crisis, yet now she claims to be a big fan of MMR. C’mon. How many times can Chairman Cassidy be fooled again? Installing Overton at the FDA is a recipe for more vaccine obstruction, misinformation, and measles outbreaks. Overton also made clear she is willing and eager to help enrich Donald Trump’s big tobacco donors by defending the FDA’s shady moves to get more poisonous fruit flavored vapes into the hands of children. She knows full-well that kids are exactly who these nicotine products are designed for and marketed to — and now we know she will let big tobacco lobbyists write their own rules. The Senate must reject this nomination for the sake of public health.”
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