(Photo credit: Aaron Schwartz/Press Pool).
President Trump has selected Dr. Heidi Overton, a top White House health policy aide, to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), putting her in charge of an agency with a significant role in marijuana research and the development and approval of cannabinoid-based medicines.
Trump announced the selection Wednesday, praising Overton as a key member of his administration who has worked on some of its most prominent health initiatives. The nomination requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate.
Overton currently serves as deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She previously served as chief policy officer at the America First Policy Institute and earned her medical degree from the University of New Mexico and a doctorate in clinical investigation from Johns Hopkins University.
Her selection could be particularly consequential for the emerging market for marijuana- and cannabinoid-based medicines.
The FDA oversees the development and approval of pharmaceutical products containing marijuana-derived compounds and provides guidance for clinical research involving cannabis. The agency has said it supports the development of new marijuana-derived medicines through the investigational drug and approval process.
The agency also maintains a Cannabis Product Committee tasked with developing and implementing FDA-wide strategy and policy surrounding cannabis products.
Currently, Epidiolex, a purified cannabidiol (CBD) medication used for certain seizure disorders, is the only FDA-approved drug derived directly from cannabis. Several synthetic cannabinoid-related medications have also received approval.
Overton has spoken publicly about marijuana rescheduling and the need for additional research. During an April 23 Oval Office event announcing the administration’s Schedule III action, she called the move a “giant move forward to implement your promise” and said it would help expand research into medical marijuana. Overton emphasized that the policy was focused on research rather than legalization, saying patients and doctors have been “flying blind” because of limited information about marijuana and potential interactions with other medications. She also noted that roughly one in 10 seniors had used medical marijuana in the previous year and that while many reported benefits, more research is needed to give patients and physicians better guidance.
The Atlantic reported last month that some supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement accused Overton of slowing efforts related to marijuana rescheduling and psychedelic therapies. However, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles disputed broader claims that Overton had obstructed administration priorities, saying her role involved ensuring policies were legally durable and medically sound.
If confirmed, Overton would succeed Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned in May after approximately a year leading the agency.
Her tenure would come just months after the DEA rescheduled state-legal and FDA-approved medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, with a process currently underway for full rescheduling. for full re
