New Acting HHS Secretary Appointment
President Trump gave Dr. Dorothy Fink the new Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) position on January 20, 2024. The HHS regulates HIPAA compliance through the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Dr. Fink is licensed in pediatrics, internal medicine, and endocrinology. She is known nationwide as a certified menopause practitioner and a specialist in diabetes, estrogen, and bone health. Fink practiced her profession at the Cornell University, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the Hospital for Special Surgery.
During the past Trump Administration in 2018, Dr. Fink was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health. She was also the Director of the HHS’ Office on Women’s Health for a few years and collaborated with hospitals to enhance maternal wellness at that time. Fink took the place of President Biden’s HHS Secretary, Xavier Becerra.
Trump nominated RFK Jr to fill the post of HHS Secretary, but the Senate has not yet confirmed it. Currently, there are no schedules of confirmation hearings and the hearings will probably resume at the end of the month. Although many Senators are supportive of RFK Jr., he has been strongly criticized for his ideas on reproductive healthcare, vaccines, and other concerns, and has often endorsed debunked statements and conspiracy theories regarding some medical issues.
He has said to the public that he plans to lay off many HHS’ career staffers, particularly at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and has mentioned a reorganization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote to RFK Jr. and asked 175 questions regarding his opinions, and the focus of HHS under his management when he gets confirmation.
He mentioned that he intends to let the infectious disease rest for 8 years and to transfer government funding from infectious disease to obesity and chronic disease. RFK’s supporters like his determination to ensure transparency in the U.S. health system, his critique of big pharmaceutical companies that puts profits first over human wellness, his determination to cut down the price of medicine for Americans, and his emphasis on proper nutrition and food safety for better health of the people. Since President Trump’s nominee is getting a lot of criticism, Dr. Fink might well stay in her position for a while before the Senate confirms a new HHS leader.