Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he will not help in the confirmation process of Biden’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH) unless certain conditions are met, according to Politico.
Sanders has vowed to oppose all of President Biden’s health nominees until his administration takes more unilateral action to lower drug prices. Sanders currently acts as chair of the committee vetting candidates for the position. (RELATED TO: NIH-Funded Study Offered Parents Cash To Study Effects Of Puberty Blockers On Their Kids)
Sanders told Politico he feels no urgency to fast-track the nomination process, citing public support.
“The public is probably more on my side,” Sanders said.
Sanders’ obstruction of Biden’s nominee, Monica Bertagnolli, has sparked tensions, according to Politico. The position has been open for over a year and a half.
President Biden is set to name a cancer surgeon, and a cancer patient, to be the next head of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, who Biden will nominate today, would be only the second woman to lead the NIH on a permanent basis. https://t.co/uJW1KUGsDS
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 15, 2023
The Biden Administration nominated Bertagnolli in May, citing her experience working in the National Cancer Institute. News of Bertagnolli’s nomination was met with praise from those in the world of oncology.
“We wholeheartedly applaud the announcement from President Biden for this outstanding choice,” Karen Knudsen, the CEO of the American Cancer Society said in a statement.
Knudsen lauded Bertagnolli as,”an exceptional surgical oncologist, innovative scientist and leader with a strong track record of transforming organizations”
Democratic Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has also set conditions for Bertagnolli’s nomination. Warren wants her to sign an agreement that would bar her from collaborating with major pharmaceutical companies for four years after departing the NIH. Bertagnolli reportedly has concerns about the sheer scope of the agreement, per the outlet.
The White House told Politico they share Sanders’ worries over drug prices and highlighted the purported accomplishments of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
“The President shares the Senator’s concerns on drug pricing” a White House spokesperson said, according to Politico. The spokesperson called the IRA “the most consequential law addressing the high cost of prescription drugs.”
Sanders said he hopes his objection will put pressure on the administration to address drug prices.
“It’s nothing personal,” Sanders said. “The principle here is that we have got to address some of the major health care crises in America. That’s what we’ve got to do, and it’s time for the administration to act.”