What Trump's Dr. Oz Nomination Means for Medtech

President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, heart surgeon turned television personality and politician Mehmet Oz, MD, better known as Dr. Oz, has drawn mixed reactions.

"America is facing a healthcare crisis, and there may be no physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to Make America Healthy Again," Trump wrote in a statement posted Tuesday on Truth Social. "...Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake."

The announcement follows last week's news that Trump plans to nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy recently raised eyebrows for his plans to clear out entire departments at FDA due to so-called corruption at the agency.

"Our broken healthcare system harms everyday Americans and crushes our country's budget. Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing disease prevention so we get the best results in the world for every dollar we spend on healthcare in our great country. He will also cut waste and fraud within our country's most expensive government agency, which is a third of our nation's healthcare spend and a quarter of our entire national budget."

Related:What's at Stake for Medtech as Trump Wins the Presidency?

Oz graduated from Harvard University, and he obtained MD and MBA degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Penn's Wharton School. He completed his surgical training in cardiothoracic surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus). He became a professor of surgery at Columbia University and is a co-inventor of Abbott's MitraClip. He also won nine Daytime Emmy Awards hosting "The Dr. Oz Show."

Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of AdvaMed, praised the nomination.

“Dr. Oz has firsthand experience with medical technology and as a result understands the incredible impact these technologies can have in the lives of patients in need. And as a practitioner, he has also seen firsthand the negative impact a lack of access to these technologies can have on these same patients," Whitaker said in a statement shared with MD+DI. "When the best medical technology is in the hands of skilled surgeons and doctors, we can help heal the sickest patients, prevent disease progression, and restore the health of the American people. We look forward to working with Dr. Oz to strengthen access to and coverage of the transformative medical technologies, treatments, and diagnostic tests that help Americans in every corner of the country to live longer, healthier lives.”

While there are plenty who support the choice, Oz is no stranger to controversy.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oz promoted hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, as a COVID-19 treatment. FDA later revoked emergency authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat COVID-19 after evidence showed the recommended dose was unlikely to be effective against the virus. Oz is also known for his claims about certain "miracle" products to help people lose weight.

Despite past controversies, however, Trump expressed confidence in his choice.

"I have known Dr. Oz for many years, and I am confident he will fight to ensure everyone in America receives the best possible healthcare so our country can be great and healthy again," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.