Who Is Nicole Saphier? What to Know About Trump's Latest Surgeon General Pick
Will the third time be the charm? President Donald Trump has a new pick for the role of U.S. surgeon general, after the two previous nominations failed to advance. Here is what you need to know about the latest pick to serve as America's top doctor.
About Dr. Nicole Saphier - Trump's Latest Nomination for U.S. Surgeon General
President Trump rolled out a new name to serve as U.S. surgeon general last week. Dr. Nicole Saphier was tapped for the role after the former nominee, Dr. Casey Means, failed to gain the support needed in the Senate to advance the nomination. Means' confirmation was stalled after facing criticism from both sides of the aisle about her lack of a current medical license and her views on vaccines.
Who is Nicole Saphier? The Fox News contributor is the director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center-Monmouth. The breast radiologist is also an associate professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, with a specialty in breast and oncologic imaging.
Outside her medical career, Saphier says that she is passionate about gardening. Her Instagram bio lists the title of "farmer" as part of her accomplishments.
Saphier has also worked as a social media promoter for the wellness tincture brand Drop RX. She discloses her involvement with the brand on her Memorial Sloan Kettering bio page.
Trump's last nominee did not advance largely due to her controversial views on vaccines. Saphier has walked a fine line on vaccines, offering up mixed views on their efficacy and safety. For instance, she put the blame on the Biden administration rather than on the divisive Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for the American public's distrust of vaccines.
When asked about her views regarding the link between vaccines and autism, Saphier said that the evidence connecting immunizations to the condition is limited or inconclusive. This is in opposition to most of the nation's leading health organizations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are just two of the top health agencies that have denied the link between autism and vaccines.
Saphier has also been indecisive about vaccines in general. For example, while she has put great importance on children receiving their measles and polio shots, she has questioned nationwide mandates on hepatitis B immunizations at birth.
During her podcast "Wellness Unmasked," Saphier discussed the controversy surrounding Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ending the nation's flu mandate for military members. On the end of the mandate, Saphier said that "Some will call it a win for medical autonomy, others will say it puts readiness at risk − and as usual, the truth, it's definitely somewhere in between and definitely more nuanced than that." She went on to say that she is in support of more "risk-based [vaccine] recommendations versus one-size-fits all."
Nicole Saphier's Views on Cancer, Mental Health, and Updated Dietary Guidelines
Two of the greatest health issues facing millions of Americans today are cancer and the growing awareness of how mental health contributes to overall physical wellness.
In her Memorial Sloan Kettering bio, Saphier notes that she uses a "variety of imaging techniques to achieve the best cancer care for my patients." Her bio also states she is "experienced in performing minimally invasive, image-guided procedures of the breast, kidney, pancreas, liver, thyroid, and lymph nodes."
President Trump praised Saphier for her expertise in the field of cancer detection and treatment. In the social media post announcing the nomination, the president said that Saphier has "spent her career guiding women facing breast cancer through their diagnosis and treatment while tirelessly advocating to increase early cancer detection and prevention, while at the same time working with men and women on all other forms of cancer diagnoses and treatments."
Saphier has been vocal about the serious mental health challenges facing the nation today. In her podcast, she noted that there is a meaningful connection between one's mental and physical health. Saphier said that while some medical experts may underplay mental health issues, these challenges can often lead to physiological changes in the body, pointing specifically to how stress can raise levels of cortisol and increase inflammation.
In a recent segment on Fox News, Saphier said that children living in unstable or nontraditional households are more likely to experience mental illness. Critics of Saphier say that she is guilty of using fear-based rhetoric that targets transgender people, despite there not being any scientific research that connects children living in these households with a higher incidence of mental health challenges.
Saphier has been complimentary of the new national dietary guidelines instituted by Kennedy earlier in the year. In a segment last January on Fox News, Saphier also praised the White House's "Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act," saying that it was a common-sense solution.
However, some health experts believe that full-fat dairy is not in the best interest of most American children. For example, the official stance by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is that only 10% of an individual's daily calories should come from saturated fats.
Trump's latest nomination will now need to appear before the Senate committee for review. She is likely to face a tough round of questions about her stance on vaccines and other important public health policies.
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