{
  "id": 9857689,
  "title": "Can Trump ever be wrong? His pick to lead FDA refused to say.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/can-trump-ever-be-wrong-his-pick-to-lead-fda-refused-to-say",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-25T23:00:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ars Technica Health",
    "slug": "ars-technica-health",
    "url": "https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/09/can-trump-ever-be-wrong-his-pick-to-lead-fda-refused-to-say/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Heidi Overton, nominated by President Trump to head the Food and Drug Administration, faced intense scrutiny during a Senate health committee hearing on Thursday. The nominee, a physician with a doctoral degree in clinical investigation, currently serves as the president's deputy assistant for domestic policy. Overton's tenure at a conservative think tank and her outspoken opposition to abortion have cast doubt on her ability to remain impartial.\n\nDuring the grilling, Overton evaded questions on several key issues, particularly her views on vaccines, flavored vapes, birth control, and abortion. One particularly concerning moment occurred when she defended Trump's August press conference, where the president inaccurately stated that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine was \"quite lethal\" and proposed dividing it into three separate doses. Despite overwhelming evidence proving the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine, Overton refused to challenge these false assertions.",
  "summary": "Heidi Overton faced questions focused on vaccines, birth control, and vapes.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Trump’s pick to lead FDA health agency grilled by Senate",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/trumps-pick-to-lead-fda-health-agency-grilled-by-senate",
        "published": "2026-09-25T00:17:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "Senate approves legislation targeted at pilot, air traffic control mental health guidance",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/senate-approves-legislation-targeted-at-pilot-air-traffic-control",
        "published": "2026-09-25T18:51:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}