On Tuesday, November 26th, President-elect Donald Trump announced the nomination of Jim O’Neill as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). O’Neill will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for HHS Secretary. The appointment is part of the administration’s effort to emphasize health management, transparency, and accountability.
In a statement, Trump said, “He will oversee all operations and improve Management, Transparency, and Accountability to, Make America Healthy Again.” Trump also emphasized that O’Neill and Kennedy would “fight in unison to ensure every American, and especially our most precious resource, our children, will live long and healthy lives.”
O’Neill, a longtime associate of Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He previously served as the Principal Associate Deputy Secretary at HHS during former President George W. Bush’s administration, where he helped lead reforms at the FDA and worked to improve drug safety and public health protocols. He later co-founded the Thiel Fellowship, which supports young entrepreneurs in the tech industry. He also served as CEO of the SENS Research Foundation, an organization focused on regenerative medicine for age-related diseases.
In recent years, O’Neill has been an outspoken advocate for the deregulation of the FDA’s drug approval process. In 2014, he argued that drugs should be approved once their safety is confirmed, even if their effectiveness had not yet been fully established. “We should reform [the] FDA so that it’s approving drugs after their sponsors have demonstrated safety and let people start using them at their own risk, but not much risk of safety,” O’Neill said during a speech. His stance faced criticism from public health experts, who warned that separating safety and efficacy is essential for protecting public health.
O’Neill’s nomination marks a return to federal service after years in the private sector, including leadership roles at Thiel’s Mithril Capital and involvement in the development of biotech innovations. He also recently joined the board of ADvantage Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company focused on neurodegenerative conditions.
With O’Neill as Deputy Secretary, Trump aims to advance the administration’s health priorities, including improving public health systems and exploring innovative solutions to age-related illnesses. The nomination, which is pending Senate confirmation, could indicate a change in leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services.
