Biden NIH nominee advances to full Senate confirmation with bipartisan committee vote

The Biden administration’s pick to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is headed to full Senate confirmation after clearing a committee vote Wednesday.

The Senate Health Committee voted 15-6 to advance the nomination of Monica Bertagnolli, a cancer surgeon who has led the National Cancer Institute since October.

Bertagnolli advanced with bipartisan support, despite committee chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) voting against her. Sanders has expressed anger at the Biden administration for failing to do enough to lower prescription drug prices.

“I think this is a moment where we need leadership at the NIH which is really prepared to take on the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, lower prescription drug prices in America and move the NIH in a very, very different direction,” Sanders said.

GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah), Roger Marshall (Kan.) and the committee’s ranking member Bill Cassidy (La.) all voted in favor of advancing Bertagnolli to the full Senate for a floor vote.

“The NIH is desperate for leadership. Dr. Bertagnolli is qualified. She said she will respect congressional authority,” Cassidy said. “I think she will provide the leadership we need now.”

The top post at the NIH has been vacant since Francis Collins left the agency in December 2021. Lawrence Tabak has served as acting director since.

President Biden tapped Bertagnolli in May, but her nomination was stuck in limbo as Sanders refused to hold a hearing after he vowed to oppose every Biden health nominee until the administration took concrete action to lower prescription drug costs.

He relented in September, saying he would allow a confirmation hearing after the Biden administration reworked a contract with pharmaceutical company Regeneron for new COVID-19 therapies.

During the hearing last week, Republican members of the committee questioned Bertagnolli about NIH policies and practices, including fetal tissue research, gender-affirming care, and COVID-19.