Marty Makary
Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration
Martin Adel Makarywas born in Liverpool, England, and then raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and Danville, Pennsylvania. He earned undergraduate and medical degrees from Bucknell University and Thomas Jefferson University. He received a master’s in public health from Harvard University. His surgical residency was at Georgetown University.
Makary studied surgical oncology and gastrointestinal surgery and then researched the prevention of surgical complications on the faculty of Johns Hopkins. He collaborated with the World Health Organization on its official surgical checklist. He became the Johns Hopkins credentials chair and director of quality and safety for surgery. He went on to specialize in pancreatic surgery and discovered novel surgical procedures, such as advanced laparoscopic surgery.
Makary has written extensively on patient safety, preventing surgical complications, safety and teamwork in medicine, and became editor-in-chief of a medical news website. He has advocated for price transparency in the health community and for hospitals to stop suing low-income patients. He received grants from the Department of Health and Human Services for research and his writing on the loopholes in the Orphan Drug Act spurred a Senate investigation. He has written multiple books on healthcare and medicine.
Makary was nominated by President Donald Trump to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025.
Makary is divorced from Kristen Powers. He is a Coptic Christian.
In the News…
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary explained his agency’s review of chemical additives used to preserve food in the United States, which recently began with the reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).
“The scientific community has raised significant concerns about some chemicals currently in the food supply,“ Commissioner Makary stated. “Once we complete our assessment of BHA, we expect to conduct similar assessments for butylated hydroxytoluene, a synthetic preservative known as BHT, and azodicarbonamide — a chemical used in yoga mats and also used as a dough conditioner.”
The commissioner said, “We are taking decisive action to ensure that chemicals in our food supply are not causing harm.”
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Commissioner Makary today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Dr. Marty Makary, Commissioner
Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993
