Gupta was the former health commissioner of West Virginia and is chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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WEDNESDAY, July 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — President Joe Biden plans to nominate Rahul Gupta, M.D., as the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.<\/p>\n
Gupta led the Biden transition team for that office, was the former health commissioner of West Virginia, and is chief medical and health officer for the March of Dimes, CNN<\/em> reported. If confirmed as the so-called drug czar, Gupta would be the first physician named to the position.<\/p>\n “Dr. Gupta brings firsthand experience as a medical doctor and public health official using evidence-based strategies to address the overdose epidemic in West Virginia,” a White House spokesperson said Tuesday, CNN<\/em> reported. “We hope he will be confirmed by the Senate soon.”<\/p>\n “As the first ever physician to be nominated to this office, he brings a wealth of on-the-ground expertise. Dr. Gupta led efforts in West Virginia to address the opioid crisis, gaining national prominence as a leader in tackling this issue,” March of Dimes President and CEO Stacey Stewart said in a statement. “At March of Dimes, he has advocated for policies and programs to prevent and treat substance use, with a focus on the safety and care of pregnant women and infants.”<\/p>\n Gupta’s nomination comes not a moment too soon, as the nation continues to struggle with rising overdose deaths. Late last year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of a “substantial increase” in fatal drug overdoses coinciding with the pandemic, CNN<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n