Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Former Pharma Executive Alex Azar Tapped By Trump To Lead HHS
The New York Times: Trump Chooses Alex Azar For Health And Human Services Secretary
President Trump nominated a pharmaceutical executive to be the next secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. The nominee, Alex M. Azar II, served as a deputy at the department under former President George W. Bush. Until January, he was the head of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly’s United States division. (Sullivan and Shear, 11/13)
The Washington Post: Trump Picks Alex Azar To Lead The Health And Human Services Department
The decision to enlist the 50-year-old Azar — who served as president of Lilly USA, the biggest affiliate of Eli Lilly and Co., before stepping down in January to work as a health-care consultant — represents a pragmatic pick. An establishment figure with a reputation as a conservative thinker and methodical lawyer, Azar would be expected to use his experience as HHS general counsel and deputy secretary to pursue Trump’s goals through executive action. (Eilperin and Goldstein, 11/13)
Bloomberg: Trump Picks Former Eli Lilly Drug Executive As Health Secretary
“Happy to announce, I am nominating Alex Azar to be the next HHS Secretary. He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!,” Trump said in a tweet Monday. (Edney, 11/13)
The Hill: Trump Nominating Azar As Next HHS Secretary
Azar has a deep knowledge of the regulatory process, those who worked with him said, but Democrats are likely to raise flags. The role is high profile, tasked with overseeing various facets of health care, from Medicare and Medicaid, to drug approvals and disease control — and most controversially, the implementation of the health care law Republicans want to tear down. (Roubein, 11/13)
The Associated Press: Trump Names Former Drug Exec As New Health Secretary
The nomination of Alex Azar is unusual because HHS secretaries have tended to come from the ranks of elected officials such as governors, leaders in academia, or top executive branch managers — not industries regulated by the department. “He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!” Trump tweeted in announcing the nomination Monday morning. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 11/31)
