WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats alike on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee tried repeatedly with little success to elicit opinions from the White House’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Heidi Overton, on health policy or a pledge to assert the agency’s independence.

Throughout the hearing Thursday, Overton told senators she would “follow statutory guidelines” and “review the evidence” when asked about crucial issues or the agency’s prior decisions.

But the nominee did make one thing clear: Claims that the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is deadly are unfounded.

“The MMR vaccine is not lethal,” she said in response to the opening question from committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La. “It is safe and effective.”

That’s after Overton stood behind President Donald Trump last month when he declared that the shot is “potentially lethal.”

On Thursday she contradicted her boss. “Every vaccine on the U.S. market right now is safe and effective according to the FDA,” Overton said.

“Unfortunately, politicization and misinformation severely damage the credibility of FDA and HHS,” Cassidy said.

In other areas, however, she was often evasive when senators tried to pin her down with yes-or-no questions.

Overton, a physician and a White House policy aide, has cast herself as a friend of the anti-abortion community. She has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and has advocated for more controls over prescribing abortion drugs.

In 2023 for example, Overton wrote an article calling abortion medication mifepristone dangerous to women.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked about the article and whether she thought mifepristone was safe.

“According to FDA standards, the drug is safe and effective as labeled today with the appropriate risk evaluation mitigation strategy,” Overton said, noting that there is currently an ongoing safety review of the drug.

Murray then asked whether she thought an IUD was an “abortifacient,” meaning something that causes an abortion — a belief of some anti-abortion groups.

“If I’m confirmed as FDA commissioner I’ll be fully briefed on all their prior decisions and make decisions based on the standards of safety and efficacy,” Overton replied.

“I don’t think you answered the question,” Murray said.

Cassidy told Overton that he would like to see the next FDA commissioner implement policy requiring an in-person ultrasound before mifepristone is made available and for physicians to report adverse events related to the drug.

“The agency has failed to follow the science enacted when it comes to the dangerous chemical abortion drug,” Cassidy said.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said there is too much political pressure hanging over the review the safety of mifepristone. In-person dispensing of the drug in a rural state like Alaska would be very difficult, she added.

Vaping

Trump’s former FDA commissioner, Marty Makary, strongly opposed the agency’s decision to approve flavored vapes and eventually left the role.

Overton declined to criticize that decision, telling the committee that she understood the need for flavored vapes because they help with smoking cessation for adults. She pledged to work with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to help reduce youth vaping.

Sen. Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., asked about the potential that political donations impacted the administration’s decision to approve flavored vapes. Overton refused to criticize the administration.

Overton did commit to crack down on illicit Chinese vapes when asked by Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla.

After the conclusion of the hearing, Cassidy declined to say whether he’d support Overton’s nomination or hold a vote on her before the year ends.

Murkowski she said she thought Overton was “well rehearsed in her responses” and was still undecided on whether to support her.

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