The Trump administration's new appointments at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are generating significant interest, particularly for the chiropractic profession. The appointment of Robert Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as the new NIH Director signals a potential shift in healthcare perspectives. Dr. Bhattacharya, known for co-authoring the controversial Great Barrington Declaration which advocated for focused protection during the COVID-19 pandemic, has also questioned the NIH's funding priorities, suggesting a need to support more "edge science" rather than solely building on established ideas. This new leadership could foster a more favorable environment for chiropractic research funding through the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Care (NCCIHC). The article delves into the NIH's grant approval process and the potential influence of the new director on advisory councils. The author recounts a past experience of attempting to diversify appointments to HHS advisory committees, highlighting the resistance from the scientific community. With these changes, the author suggests that the chiropractic profession should actively pursue consumer appointments on NIH institute councils to broaden their opportunities.
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