Trump picks celebrity doc Mehmet Oz to lead Medicare
Donald Trump has chosen talk show host and celebrity doctor Dr Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), another controversial healthcare pick.
Dr Oz will "work closely" with Trump's selection for Health and Human Services Secretary – Robert F Kennedy Jr – to "take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake."
The illness industrial complex is a theory that suggests commercial interests from food to pharma are undermining the health of the population in order to drive profits.
If confirmed into the role, the 64-year-old cardiothoracic surgeon will take the reins of an agency that provides healthcare to upwards of 160 million people in the US, with an annual spend of $2.6 trillion, and also oversees the Children's Health Insurance Programme as well as other key healthcare schemes.
He would also take the lead on the Medicare drug pricing negotiations that were introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act, which the pharma industry have been challenging in court.
Dr Oz has been a divisive figure over the years, coming in for criticism during the pandemic for pushing misinformation and unsubstantiated health advice about COVID-19 – including the debunked notion that hydroxychloroquine was a beneficial treatment – and also for the promotion of weight-loss supplements via his TV show that were not backed by sound scientific evidence.
That makes him a fairly 'on-brand' choice for Trump, given that RFK Jr has also come under the spotlight for promulgating unfounded theories about the health risks of vaccines, fluoride in public water supplies, and Wi-Fi signals, and accusing the FDA of "suppressing" things like psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, and sunshine.
Both nominations – which require Senate confirmation – have contributed to concerns that US health policy could start to be driven by opinion rather than evidence.
"I have known Dr Oz for many years, and I am confident he will fight to ensure everyone in America receives the best possible healthcare, so our country can be great and healthy again!" Trump said in a statement.
"Our broken healthcare system harms everyday Americans, and crushes our country's budget," he added. "Dr Oz will be a leader in incentivising disease prevention, so we can get the best results in the world for every dollar we spend on healthcare."
According to Trump, both Dr Oz and RFK Jr would also be given the task of cutting "waste and fraud" in the US healthcare system.
Dr Oz ran for Senate in 2022 in Pennsylvania under the Republican ticket and received Trump's endorsement, but was defeated by Democrat John Fetterman.
The Better Medicare Alliance, an organisation representing health insurers offering Medicare Advantage policies, congratulated Dr Oz on his nomination and said he "recognises the value" of the scheme and "the high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive health care it provides to more than 34 million seniors and individuals with disabilities."
Its chief executive, Mary Beth Donahue, said: "We look forward to working with Dr Oz to protect and strengthen this vital programme for seniors."
