President-elect Donald Trump announced Jim O’Neill as his choice for deputy secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), highlighting O’Neill’s ties to billionaire Peter Thiel and his experience in public and private sectors. Trump said O’Neill would work alongside HHS Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to improve “management, transparency, and accountability” in the department, aiming to “Make America Healthy Again.”
O’Neill, a managing director at Thiel’s Mithril Capital and former HHS official under George W. Bush, has drawn attention for his controversial views on the FDA. In a 2014 speech, he suggested the agency should approve drugs based solely on safety, leaving efficacy to be proven post-approval. Critics argued this stance reflects a misunderstanding of the FDA’s dual role in ensuring safety and effectiveness.
Previously considered for FDA leadership during Trump’s 2016 transition, O’Neill is now set to oversee HHS operations, pending Senate confirmation.
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