Dr. Marty Makary pointed out the Biden administration's decision to skip key committee meetings when authorizing vaccines in response to a top Democrat's question. (Reuters)
Her question came in reference to an FDA vaccine meeting that was reportedly postponed at the last minute.
"I would reevaluate which topics deserve a convening of the advisory committee members on [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee] and which may not require a convening," Makary replied, noting he was not a part of the decision.
Asked again by Murray, the FDA commissioner nominee said, "Well, you can ask the Biden administration that chose not to convene the committee meeting for the COVID vaccine booster."
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The Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, on Aug. 29, 2020. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly/File Photo)
Fox News Digital asked Murray whether she was similarly concerned by Biden's decision. The senator said in a statement, "In 2022, I had confidence that our public health agencies were following the latest science and listening to public health experts. I do not have that confidence now."
"We’re talking about Trump and RFK Jr. canceling a routine meeting that has taken place annually, for at least 30 years, to make recommendations for which influenza strains should be included in the flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season – there has been zero justification for its cancellation or any information about when it would be rescheduled," she continued. "The flu vaccine is safe, effective, and lifesaving – we need this advisory committee to meet so manufacturers have enough time to prepare the correct vaccines."
Ahead of the Thursday hearing, Murray and fellow HELP Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland penned a letter to Makary, telling him, "We intend to use your nomination hearing next week to understand whether you support this ill-informed measure to slow critical public health decision-making."
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Cassidy is chairman of the HELP committee. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy, R-La., also inquired about the postponed meeting, asking Makary, "How will you ensure that advisory committees remain objective, transparent and still benefiting from the necessary expertise of external experts?"
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The nominee told Cassidy, "You have my commitment to review what the committees are doing [and] how they're being used."
"As you know, I was critical when that committee was not convened at all during one of the COVID booster guidance decisions by the FDA," Makary noted.
He recalled that FDA leadership "at the time argued that they're advisory, and we don't have to convene them. That was repeatedly, throughout the Biden administration."
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fda-nominee-turns-vaccine-question-dem-recalling-controversial-biden-decision