President Donald Trump’s nominee for the National Institutes of Health director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, told senators Wednesday during his confirmation hearing that he fully supports developing alternatives to the use of aborted fetal products in developing vaccines and therapeutics.

Bhattacharya, a physician and health economist from Stanford University, rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for his sharp skepticism of mRNA vaccines. He was a top opponent of restrictive policies during the pandemic.