Jim O'Neill, the Thiel associate, hasn't been officially selected, according to the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the decision process is private, and the Trump team could still go in another direction.

O'Neill is a managing director at Thiel's Mithril Capital Management, and last served in government during the George W. Bush administration as principal associate deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services. He's also a board member of the Seasteading Institute, a Thiel-backed venture to create new societies at sea, away from existing governments.

Faster drug approvals with approval once proven safe and allow people to use at own risk with efficacy work after initial approval