NewzNicole Saphier, President Donald Trump's third nominee to serve as surgeon general, will face lawmakers at her confirmation hearing Wednesday in the latest attempt to fill the post known as the nation's doctor.Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News Channel contributor, is Trump's newest pick after entrepreneur and wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means saw her path forward stall in the Senate over her background and vaccine views. Trump withdrew his first nominee, Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat, after questions arose about her academic credentials.
The position has been vacant throughout Trump's second term.Saphier will face questions from the Senate health committee for a position that carries limited policymaking power but a loud megaphone as the nation's top communicator with Americans on public health issues.While senators may scrutinize her credentials and background, Saphier will also be in the difficult position of navigating Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s more contentious policies, including his efforts to scale back vaccine guidance at a time when the U.S. is enduring its worst year for measles in decades.
Lawmakers of both parties have criticized Kennedy's stances and are likely to grill Saphier over whether she'll more fiercely advocate vaccination if confirmed.Saphier is director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth, according to her profile on the New York-based institution’s website. She has a doctor of medicine degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados along with fellowships at the Mayo Clinic, the profile said.Like Means, who is a close Kennedy ally, Saphier has questioned whether every child needs to get the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, a longtime recommendation that the Trump administration has been trying to weaken. Saphier has, however, disagreed with Trump and Kennedy on some issues, telling The Associated Press last fall that Trump's cautions to pregnant women who take Tylenol were oversimplistic and “patronizing.”Her latest ethics filing, dated Sept.
7, shows holdings with various healthcare and insurance firms, as well as processed food companies, like Coca-Cola, Yum Brands, the Hershey Co. and cigarette maker Philip Morris.Before entering politics and throughout his tenure at the health department, Kennedy has criticized big pharmaceutical companies…
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