President Trump names his selection for HHS secretary

WASHINGTON (AP) — Turning to an industry he's rebuked, President Donald Trump today picked a former top pharmaceutical and government executive be his health and human services secretary, overseeing a $1 trillion department responsible for major health insurance programs, medical research, food and drug safety, and public health.

The nomination of Alex Azar is unusual because HHS secretaries have tended to come from the ranks of elected officials such as governors, leaders in academia, or top executive branch managers – not industries regulated by the department.

"He will be a star for better healthcare and lower drug prices!" Trump tweeted in announcing the nomination this morning.

Azar, 50, a lawyer by training, has spent most of the last 10 years with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, rising to president of its key U.S. affiliate before leaving in January to start his own consulting firm. He's seen as an expert on government health care regulation.

As HHS secretary, Azar would have to scrupulously avoid conflicts with Lilly's far-reaching interests, from drug approval to Medicare reimbursement. The drugmaker has drawn criticism from patient advocacy groups for price increases to one of its biggest products: insulin.

Americans consistently rank the high cost of prescription drugs as one of their top health care priorities, putting it ahead of divisive issues like repealing "Obamacare" in public opinion polls.

Trump has been a sharp critic of the industry. "The drug companies, frankly, are getting away with murder," the president said at a Cabinet meeting this fall. Prices are "out of control" and "have gone through the roof," Trump said.

In the spring, a Trump tweet sent drug stocks tumbling after the president said he was working on a new system that would foster competition and lead to much lower prices. In meetings with industry executives, however, Trump has focused on speeding up drug approvals, a cost-reducing tactic they would back.

10:04

WASHINGTON — CNN is reporting that President Trump this morning named Alex Azar to become secretary of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, replacing Tom Price, who resigned in September amid criticism for his extensive use of taxpayer-funded charter flights.

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