Marty Makary, MD

Marty Makary, MD Speaker Biography

Former FDA Commissioner, Johns Hopkins Surgeon, New York Times Bestselling Author, and Leading Expert on Healthcare Innovation, AI, and Medical Reform

Dr. Marty Makary is a nationally recognized surgeon, healthcare policy expert, medical innovator, and New York Times bestselling author who served as the 27th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from March 2025 to May 2026. A distinguished former Johns Hopkins surgical oncologist and professor, Makary has spent his career examining how medical innovation, scientific evidence, and healthcare reform can improve patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary costs. During his tenure at the FDA, he pursued initiatives to modernize drug approvals, advance artificial intelligence, reduce reliance on animal testing, and encourage healthier food policies. His extensive experience spans clinical medicine, academic research, federal healthcare leadership, and the business of medicine, providing him with a distinctive perspective on the future of American healthcare. As the author of bestselling books including Blind Spots, The Price We Pay, and Unaccountable, Dr. Marty Makary challenges conventional thinking about healthcare delivery, medical costs, prevention, and the relationship between scientific research and public policy.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Marty Makary at a Glance

• Former 27th FDA Commissioner: Served from March 25, 2025, to May 13, 2026, leading initiatives involving regulatory modernization, drug approvals, artificial intelligence, and food policy.
• Distinguished Johns Hopkins Surgeon: Former Chief of Islet Transplant Surgery, endowed professor of gastrointestinal surgery, and founder of the Johns Hopkins Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research.
• National Academy of Medicine Member: Elected in 2019 in recognition of his contributions to medical research, healthcare quality, and patient safety.
• Prolific Medical Researcher: Author of more than 350 peer-reviewed scientific publications and a pioneer in innovative surgical techniques and patient safety research.
• New York Times Bestselling Author: Wrote Blind Spots, The Price We Pay, and Unaccountable, examining major challenges facing American healthcare.
• Award-Winning Healthcare Thought Leader: Received the National Pancreas Foundation’s Nobility in Science Award and the 2020 Business Book of the Year Award for The Price We Pay.
• International Medical Expert: Has served as a visiting professor at more than 25 medical schools and held a leadership position with the World Health Organization’s Patient Safety Program.
• Healthcare Innovation and AI Advocate: Focuses on medical technology, regulatory efficiency, preventive healthcare, and improving the affordability and effectiveness of healthcare delivery.

Serving as the 27th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Marty Makary served as the 27th Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration following his confirmation by a bipartisan vote of the United States Senate on March 25, 2025. During his tenure, which concluded in May 2026, Makary oversaw the federal agency responsible for regulating medications, medical devices, food safety, and other products affecting public health. His leadership agenda emphasized regulatory modernization, scientific innovation, administrative efficiency, and greater attention to the relationship between food, nutrition, and long-term health. Drawing on his experience as a surgeon, researcher, and healthcare policy expert, he pursued changes intended to make the FDA more responsive to emerging medical technologies and developments in biomedical research. His tenure also involved complex debates about regulatory oversight, scientific evidence, and the balance between accelerating innovation and maintaining appropriate safety standards. This experience gave Makary firsthand insight into the challenges of leading one of the nation’s most consequential healthcare institutions.

Modernizing Drug Approvals and Medical Regulation

One of Dr. Marty Makary’s principal priorities as FDA Commissioner was modernizing the processes through which new medications and medical technologies are evaluated. He advocated reducing unnecessary administrative delays, improving regulatory efficiency, and exploring approaches that could allow promising treatments to reach patients more quickly while preserving appropriate standards of scientific review. His initiatives included efforts to streamline selected drug approval processes, reduce regulatory burdens, and improve the agency’s ability to evaluate emerging medical innovations. Makary also emphasized the importance of maintaining American competitiveness in biomedical research and pharmaceutical development. His experience illustrates the complex relationship between scientific innovation, regulatory requirements, patient safety, and healthcare access. By working at the intersection of medicine, government, and industry, he developed a distinctive understanding of how regulatory decisions influence healthcare delivery, medical investment, and the development of new treatments.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Healthcare

Dr. Marty Makary has emerged as an influential voice in discussions about the expanding role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medical regulation. During his FDA tenure, he promoted broader adoption of AI tools within the agency and encouraged exploration of how emerging technologies could improve administrative efficiency, regulatory review, and scientific decision-making. His work also addressed the growing potential of artificial intelligence to transform medical research, clinical trials, diagnostic capabilities, and healthcare delivery. Makary recognizes that new technologies create opportunities to improve efficiency and expand access to information while also raising important questions about accuracy, oversight, and responsible implementation. His perspective draws on practical experience leading a federal healthcare agency during a period of rapid technological change. For healthcare executives, technology innovators, and organizational leaders, his experience provides insight into the opportunities and complexities associated with incorporating AI into highly regulated industries.

Rethinking Clinical Trials and Biomedical Innovation

Throughout his career, Dr. Marty Makary has advocated for more efficient approaches to evaluating medical treatments and generating reliable scientific evidence. At the FDA, he supported initiatives involving real-time clinical trial monitoring, alternative testing methodologies, and regulatory processes intended to reduce unnecessary delays in medical innovation. His work included efforts to expand the use of modern scientific methods that could reduce reliance on traditional animal testing where suitable alternatives were available. These initiatives reflected his broader interest in aligning regulatory systems with advances in technology, data analysis, and biomedical research. As a surgeon and academic researcher, Makary understands the importance of rigorous clinical evidence in determining whether treatments are safe and effective. His work highlights the ongoing challenge of improving research efficiency while maintaining scientific integrity and appropriate protections for patients.

Advancing Food Policy, Nutrition, and Disease Prevention

Dr. Marty Makary has consistently emphasized the importance of nutrition and disease prevention in improving long-term health outcomes. During his FDA tenure, he supported initiatives addressing artificial food dyes, dietary guidance, and healthier food environments, including efforts related to school nutrition. His approach reflects a broader interest in examining how food quality, metabolic health, and lifestyle-related factors contribute to chronic disease. Makary has argued that healthcare systems should devote greater attention to the underlying causes of illness rather than focusing primarily on treatment after disease develops. His work encourages greater consideration of the relationship between nutrition, preventive medicine, and healthcare spending. Drawing on his clinical experience, research background, and public policy leadership, he brings a perspective on how preventive health strategies may help improve population health and reduce demand for costly medical interventions.

A Distinguished Surgical Career at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Before entering federal government service, Dr. Marty Makary established a distinguished career as a surgical oncologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He served as Chief of Islet Transplant Surgery and held the Mark Ravitch Endowed Chair in Gastrointestinal Surgery, recognizing his contributions to surgical research and clinical innovation. His work included pioneering procedures involving pancreatic islet transplantation and advancing approaches to complex surgical care. Makary also founded the Johns Hopkins Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research, which focused on improving the evaluation of surgical procedures, clinical outcomes, and healthcare quality. His accomplishments earned him the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation. Through his academic and clinical leadership, Makary contributed to the development of more effective surgical practices while helping advance the use of scientific evidence to evaluate patient outcomes and medical procedures.

Pioneering Research in Patient Safety and Surgical Outcomes

Dr. Marty Makary has devoted much of his medical career to understanding how healthcare systems can reduce preventable harm and improve the quality of patient care. His research has examined surgical outcomes, unnecessary medical procedures, patient safety, medical errors, and the relationship between clinical practices and healthcare costs. He helped develop a surgical safety checklist that has influenced operating room practices internationally, reflecting his interest in practical systems that improve communication and reduce avoidable mistakes. His work has also explored how transparency, data analysis, and performance measurement can help medical professionals identify opportunities for improvement. By examining the causes of preventable complications and variations in clinical practice, Makary has contributed to national conversations about healthcare accountability and the importance of evaluating medical treatments according to their demonstrated benefits.

More Than 350 Scientific Publications and National Medical Recognition

Dr. Marty Makary has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed scientific publications addressing a broad range of medical and healthcare policy issues. His research has included studies involving cancer care, surgical quality, patient safety, healthcare spending, unnecessary medical interventions, and emerging medical technologies. In 2019, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the nation’s leading institutions recognizing distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Makary has also served as a visiting professor at more than 25 medical schools, sharing his clinical experience and research with medical professionals and academic institutions. His work has extended beyond traditional surgical research to examine broader questions about healthcare delivery, preventive medicine, and the effectiveness of medical interventions. This extensive scientific background informs his approach to healthcare reform and his emphasis on evaluating established practices through rigorous evidence.

International Healthcare Leadership and the World Health Organization

In addition to his work at Johns Hopkins and the FDA, Dr. Marty Makary has contributed to international efforts to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. He previously served in a leadership position within the World Health Organization’s Patient Safety Program, participating in initiatives intended to reduce preventable medical harm and improve healthcare systems. His experience working with international medical professionals has provided insight into the challenges shared by healthcare organizations across different countries and healthcare delivery models. These experiences reinforced his interest in developing practical, evidence-based solutions that improve patient outcomes while reducing inefficiency. Makary’s international perspective contributes to his understanding of how healthcare organizations can learn from one another and adopt approaches that support greater safety, accountability, and effectiveness.

Blind Spots: Challenging Conventional Medical Thinking

Dr. Marty Makary’s bestselling book Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health examines how established medical assumptions can persist even when emerging research raises important questions about their accuracy. The book explores subjects including nutrition science, the human microbiome, menopausal hormone therapy, and other areas where scientific understanding and medical recommendations have evolved. Makary encourages readers to examine how medical consensus develops, how evidence is interpreted, and why healthcare professionals must remain willing to reconsider conventional practices. Through examples drawn from medical research and clinical experience, he explores the consequences of uncertainty, incomplete evidence, and overly rigid approaches to scientific guidance. The book reflects his longstanding interest in promoting scientific curiosity, transparency, and greater attention to developments that may improve patient care.

The Price We Pay: Exposing the Hidden Costs of American Healthcare

In The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care—and How to Fix It, Dr. Marty Makary examines the financial pressures affecting patients, employers, and healthcare organizations throughout the United States. The book investigates hospital pricing practices, medical billing, unnecessary procedures, and the complicated financial arrangements that contribute to rising healthcare costs. Drawing on firsthand reporting, research, and conversations with patients and medical professionals, Makary explores how a lack of transparency and inefficient incentives can create financial burdens without necessarily improving care. The book received the 2020 Business Book of the Year Award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. Its central themes remain relevant to organizations seeking to improve healthcare affordability, understand the economics of medicine, and identify opportunities for more transparent and effective healthcare delivery.

Unaccountable: Transparency and Accountability in Medicine

Dr. Marty Makary’s book Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won’t Tell You and How Transparency Can Revolutionize Health Care explores the importance of transparency and accountability in improving medical quality and patient safety. Drawing on his experiences as a surgeon and researcher, Makary examines how variations in hospital performance, communication problems, and preventable medical errors can affect patient outcomes. He argues that patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations benefit from greater access to meaningful information about the quality and effectiveness of medical care. The book helped establish Makary as a prominent voice in national discussions about healthcare transparency and the need for more effective systems of quality measurement. Its themes continue to inform his broader work on medical appropriateness, organizational accountability, and reducing avoidable harm.

Reducing Unnecessary Medical Procedures and Low-Value Care

A major focus of Dr. Marty Makary’s research and healthcare policy work has been the identification and reduction of medical interventions that provide limited benefit or expose patients to unnecessary risks. He co-founded Global Appropriateness Measures, an initiative designed to examine variations in medical practice and encourage more appropriate use of surgery and medications. His work emphasizes the importance of evaluating whether treatments are supported by reliable evidence and whether they provide meaningful benefits for patients. By identifying patterns of unnecessary procedures and prescribing, Makary has sought to improve medical quality while addressing avoidable healthcare spending. His approach recognizes that more medical intervention does not always produce better outcomes and that healthcare systems benefit when clinical decisions are guided by patient needs, scientific evidence, and appropriate standards of care.

The Business of Medicine and Healthcare Economics

Dr. Marty Makary brings an unusual combination of clinical expertise, academic research, business experience, and federal regulatory leadership to discussions about healthcare economics. He previously held an academic appointment at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where his work connected medical practice with organizational strategy and healthcare delivery. His research has examined how financial incentives, administrative structures, and variations in clinical practice influence healthcare costs and patient outcomes. Makary has consistently emphasized the importance of understanding the economic forces that shape medical decisions, including the relationship between insurers, healthcare providers, employers, and patients. His perspective is particularly relevant to business leaders seeking to understand rising healthcare expenses, evaluate healthcare benefits, and identify opportunities to improve value within complex healthcare systems.

Former Chief Medical Officer of H-E-B

Dr. Marty Makary also served as Chief Medical Officer of H-E-B, the Texas-based grocery retailer, where his work emphasized healthy food, nutrition, and disease prevention. This experience expanded his understanding of how organizations outside traditional healthcare institutions can influence population health and encourage healthier everyday choices. His work connected medical research with practical opportunities to improve nutrition and reduce preventable illness. The role reflected his broader belief that meaningful improvements in health often begin before individuals enter a hospital or physician’s office. By examining the relationship between food environments, consumer behavior, and long-term health outcomes, Makary gained additional insight into how businesses and community organizations can contribute to preventive healthcare.

Healthcare Affordability, Prevention, and Coordinated Care

Throughout his career, Dr. Marty Makary has pursued approaches intended to make healthcare more affordable, coordinated, and responsive to patient needs. His work has focused particularly on reducing unnecessary medical utilization, improving the appropriateness of care, and addressing health challenges before they require more expensive interventions. He has also emphasized the importance of improving communication among healthcare providers and reducing fragmentation within the healthcare system. Makary’s research and policy interests include evaluating emerging technologies, strengthening preventive care, and examining how organizations can improve patient outcomes while managing costs. His perspective recognizes that meaningful healthcare reform requires attention not only to individual treatments but also to the systems, incentives, and practices that influence how care is delivered.

Addressing the Four Major Challenges Facing Healthcare

At the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in September 2026, Dr. Marty Makary delivered a presentation examining four major challenges facing the healthcare system: administrative waste, pricing failures, low-value medical care, and insufficient attention to the underlying causes of illness. Drawing on his experiences as a surgeon, researcher, and former FDA Commissioner, he discussed how inefficiencies and misaligned incentives can contribute to rising healthcare costs without corresponding improvements in patient outcomes. He also emphasized the importance of greater transparency and more careful evaluation of established medical practices. His presentation reflected a continuing commitment to challenging assumptions about healthcare delivery and encouraging reforms focused on measurable improvements in patient care. The appearance demonstrated Makary’s continued engagement with medical professionals and healthcare leaders following his departure from federal government service.

The Future of Healthcare: Innovation, Technology, and Medical Transformation

Dr. Marty Makary’s career places him at the intersection of several forces shaping the future of healthcare, including artificial intelligence, biomedical innovation, regulatory modernization, preventive medicine, and changing approaches to healthcare financing. His experience as a practicing surgeon, academic researcher, bestselling author, and former FDA Commissioner provides a broad perspective on the opportunities and challenges associated with transforming complex healthcare systems. He examines how emerging technologies may improve clinical research, expand access to medical information, and support more efficient healthcare delivery while recognizing the importance of scientific validation and responsible oversight. Makary also emphasizes that technological progress alone cannot resolve longstanding problems involving unnecessary care, financial incentives, and preventable illness. His perspective encourages healthcare leaders to consider innovation alongside transparency, accountability, and the need to address fundamental problems in healthcare delivery.

A Recognized Voice in National Healthcare Discussions

Dr. Marty Makary has become a widely recognized commentator on healthcare policy, medical innovation, scientific research, and the challenges facing American medicine. Through bestselling books, scientific publications, public appearances, and professional presentations, he has contributed to national conversations about healthcare costs, patient safety, nutrition, and medical decision-making. His work frequently examines the relationship between established medical practices and emerging scientific evidence, encouraging greater transparency and critical evaluation of conventional assumptions. Makary’s experience across academic medicine, government, and healthcare policy enables him to address complex issues from multiple professional perspectives. His public commentary has also generated debate about medical recommendations and regulatory decisions, reflecting the importance of careful scientific evaluation and open discussion in an evolving healthcare environment.

Inspiring Healthcare Leaders to Challenge Conventional Thinking

Dr. Marty Makary brings audiences a distinctive combination of medical expertise, executive leadership experience, scientific research, and firsthand knowledge of federal healthcare regulation. His career illustrates the challenges of introducing change within established institutions and the importance of evaluating whether existing practices continue to serve their intended purpose. Through his research, books, and leadership experiences, Makary encourages healthcare professionals and organizational leaders to examine assumptions, consider new evidence, and identify opportunities to improve outcomes. His perspective emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with scientific rigor, strengthening organizational accountability, and pursuing practical approaches to reducing unnecessary costs. By connecting developments in medicine and technology with the realities of healthcare delivery, he provides valuable insights for organizations navigating a rapidly changing industry.

A Distinguished Career Dedicated to Improving American Healthcare

From pioneering surgical procedures at Johns Hopkins to leading the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary has built a career focused on examining how healthcare systems can become more effective, innovative, and responsive to patient needs. His contributions encompass clinical research, patient safety, healthcare economics, preventive medicine, medical technology, and public policy. As a bestselling author and internationally recognized medical expert, he continues encouraging discussion about the scientific, financial, and organizational challenges that influence healthcare outcomes. His work reflects a sustained interest in identifying opportunities to improve medical quality, reduce unnecessary interventions, and support more informed healthcare decisions. With experience spanning the operating room, university research, corporate healthcare, and federal leadership, Makary offers a comprehensive perspective on the future of medicine and the opportunities for meaningful healthcare transformation.

Dr. Marty Makary helps healthcare leaders, business executives, and organizations understand the forces transforming medicine, offering compelling insights into artificial intelligence, healthcare innovation, regulatory reform, and strategies for creating a more effective, affordable, and patient-centered healthcare system.

Dr. Marty Makary can be booked for keynote presentations, healthcare conferences, medical association meetings, hospital leadership summits, executive retreats, pharmaceutical and biotechnology events, healthcare technology conferences, corporate leadership meetings, and public policy forums through Speakers.com. Contact Speakers.com to learn more about Dr. Marty Makary’s speaking fee, availability, and customized presentation options.